Is It Worth It?
by Freethinker037
Summary: They never expected to be hunted by talon, but then again, they never expected to be rescued by Overwatch. Slight AU. Takes place after RECALL, the cinematic trailer and DRAGONS.
1. Prologue

**Numbani Heritage Museum, Front Entrance**

"…...was like 'CRUNCH' and then Winston just went Primal Rage on him! Or that moment when Tracer blinked behind Widowmaker and kicked her gun high in the air and then she blinked again, grabbing the gun in midair and started shooting back at Widowmaker with her OWN GUN like 'pewpewpewpew'! OR, what could possibly be the best moment! When Widowmaker was looking for Doomfist's glove and she didn't know you had it, and then when she wasn't looking, 'POW'! You launch her clear across the museum! I swear, I never thought I'd ever meet actual OVERWATCH heroes! IN ACTION! WINSTON AND TRACER NO LESS! AND SHE SAID IT! SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT, JESSIE! SHE ACTUALLY SAID…."

"DANNY!" Shouted the elder of the two brothers.

"Yeah, bro?" he answers back with a smile and an innocent expression.

Jessie took a deep breath as he grabs a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. After having survived a full-on fire fight inside the Numbani Heritage Museum, the 23-year-old was still a little wired from the experience.

"Calm down, and cool your motor mouth before your jaw seizes up. I was there, remember? I don't need a play-by-play." He lit one of the cancer sticks and took a drag, letting his nerves calm down before continuing, "But I'll admit, that _was_ kinda cool. Dangerous as heck, but still cool."

"Yeah, it was. And you helped. That was sooo awesome." Danny had a wistful expression before it turned a little sad, "Shame you turned down Tracer's offer. You could have joined Overwatch and become a hero or something!"

"It wasn't an offer; it was a statement." The older of the two Corrected.

Danny wasn't convinced, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Didn't sound like that to me. Sounded like she wanted you to join."

Jessie rolled his eyes and took the cigarette in his fingers before answering his little brother. "Two things. **One** : Overwatch is deep-sixed. There's nothing _to_ join. **Two** : After that mess, back in Liberia, I'd rather just stay out of conflicts altogether."

Danny looked up at his big brother with a sympathetic expression followed by one of irritation. "Oh, yeah. I still think they were idiots. They kicked you out for saving lives. That's just stupid."

Jessie let out a sigh. "Not everyone can be as smart as you, little buddy. I'm just lucky they didn't put me in irons or something." He took another drag of his cigarette as he thought about the incident that happened to him ten months ago.

"I'm glad they didn't. I don't wanna go to a foster home." Danny replied with a somber tone. The thought of losing his brother sending shivers down his spine.

Jessie draped his arm around his baby brother's shoulder and held him close. "Don't worry, Danny. I'm still here, and I won't let anyone split us up." He finished with a gentle smile.

Danny returned the embrace and said, "I know. Thanks, Jessie."

"Anytime. Now come on. We got an appointment at the clinic to get to."

Danny looked up at his brother with a pleading look in his eyes. "Do we _have_ to go?"

"You _do_ wanna get rid of that cast on your arm, right?" Jessie countered with a raised eyebrow before taking another drag of his stress reliever.

The look of defeat on Danny's face was Jessie's answer. "Thought so. Come on, Champ, it's not that bad."

Danny just groaned. Jessie took one last hit of his cigarette before stomping it out on the sidewalk. He then placed a comforting hand on his little brother's head.

"Besides, I did tell you not to slide down those rails." That earned him a jab at the ribs from Danny's good arm, but Jessie just laughed it off.

* * *

 **Watchpoint Gibraltar, Main Lab**

He looked up at his screens, one displaying profiles, another replaying the museum fight earlier that day. His interests were on the two civilians who had aided him and his partner in foiling the attempted robbery as well as giving them an advantage. He watched as the older of the two civilians stealthily swiped Doomfist's gauntlet from under Widowmaker's nose before donning it and using it against her. He couldn't help but chuckle as the Femme Fatal was thrown a considerable distance away. He paused the video as the man turned around, his face coming into view.

His eyes turned towards the second screen which displayed the same man's profile which included a picture of him dressed in formal military wear.

 **Jessie D. Michaels:**

D.O.B.: 17/08/2052

Hair: Dark Brown

Eyes: Brown

Birth Location: Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Current Residence: Numbani, Nigeria, Africa

Occupation: Unemployed

Education: Secondary Level

Family:

-David Michaels, father – Deceased

-Loraine Michaels, mother – Deceased

-Danial Michaels, brother

Notes:

-Dishonorably Discharge.

-Protective of younger brother.

-Temperamental concerning brother's safety.

-Skilled in Parkour/Freerunning.

…

"Oh Winstooon!"

Winston looked away from the monitor towards the source of the voice calling to him. He saw his partner standing on the lower level of his lab.

"Up here, Lena!" The hyper-intelligent gorilla called back before returning his gaze to his monitors. A flash of blue signified the arrival of his partner, Lena Oxton, also known as Tracer.

"Whacha doin', big guy?" The adventurer asked with child-like curiosity. She looked up at the screens and instantly recognized the man on screen. "Oi, that's the bloke from the museum; in Numbani." She leaned in and started reading the profile. "Jessie Michaels, eh?"

Winston gave an affirming grunt before speaking. "He's ex-US military. Stationed in Ghana for a year until he was dishonorably discharged ten months ago. Moved to Numbani after that."

Tracer was sympathetic. "Poor fella. Does it say why he was discharged?"

"Athena?" The scientist called to the artificial intelligence.

The A.I. instantly responded by opening a new window over the profile as she spoke. "Official records state that he failed to follow strict orders during a conflict in Liberia. Him and a small team were tasked to hold down their objective, but instead he pulled them towards the western front. The objective was left vulnerable for the remainder of the mission. No other details were given."

Winston rubbed his chin. "Hmmm. Do we know what the objective was?"

"The United States embassy." Athena replied, matter-of-factly.

"Ouch. That's gotta suck." Said Lena, sympathetically.

"Can't say I blame his superiors after that."

"Bet ya a fiver there's more to the story than that."

"Yeah, probably is. Unfortunately, the only person who can fill in the blanks is back in Numbani."

Tracer took a good hard look at the former soldier, a thoughtful expression plastered on her face as she remembered the moments after the battle, back at the museum.

Winston looked back up at her, seeing her deep in thought. "Penny for your thoughts?" She remained silent a moment longer before speaking.

"Just remembered somethin' he said." She replied, eyes still on the monitors.

"What did he say?" Winston asked, his full attention on his partner.

"It was right after you took off after Reaper and Widowmaker. They walked up to me and gave back the Gauntlet. The boy with him had stars in his eyes the whole time." She giggled. "Anyway, after I took the gauntlet off their hands, I told them that the world could always use more heroes; tryin' to gain more support, you know? But then, he shook his head before saying…"

' _I played the hero card once and all I got was burned. I'll leave the heroics to the real heroes, if it's all the same to you.'_

"… _Can't say I wasn't a little disappointed but his life, his choice. I'm not his mum to tell him what to do. Took off after that."_

Winston was intrigued. "Think he was talking about Liberia?"

Lena just shrugged as she replied. "Not sure. He could have been talkin' about anythin' really. Bloody serious he was, though."

The gorilla scientist hummed in thought as he mulled over what Lena had told him. With a flex of his toes, he brought up another profile. This one displaying an image of a young boy with light brown hair. Lena snapped out of her own thoughts and smiled at the picture.

"Oi, it's twinkle eyes!" She giggled, remembering the star struck look on the young boy's face.

Winston chuckled before he spoke. "Danial Michaels. Jessie Michaels' younger brother and only family. According to this, he's a big fan of Overwatch."

"No surprise there." Tracer said, then lifted a hand as she began to point out a few things. "He was in the Overwatch exhibit, he was wearing a Reinhardt shirt and add to that the fact his eyes were the size of dust bin lids most of the time, and it becomes painfully obvious." She finished with a laugh.

The fuzzy scientist chuckled along with her before stating another, rather impressive, fact.

"He also possesses an I.Q. score of 183 and is currently enrolled in online college level degrees in I.T. and Mechatronics." Winston said, clearly impressed at the little boy on his screen.

Lena's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Are you havin' a laugh!? _He's_ a super genius!? He barely looks 10 years old." She shook her head, not able to believe that someone so young could be that smart.

"Impressed?" Asked Winston.

"To say the least. Seriously, like…. wow."

"Listen to this. Since his brother's unemployed, he's been remedying their finances by doing some online odd jobs. Little things like tutoring up to stuff like website designs." He did a quick scan of the profile before his eyes widened. "Wow. He was commissioned by a few security companies to improve their cyber security. This kid is something else!"

Lena whistled. "He's pretty scary for a child. Imagine we had someone like him on board."

Winston's face fell into a more worried expression. "I bet Talon must be thinking the same thing."

The british adventurer frowned at this. "You think they might go after them?"

"I wouldn't put it past them. It's because of those two they didn't get the gauntlet. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to make examples out of them. Show the world what happens when you mess with Talon."

"If that's the case then shouldn't we do somethin'?"

Winston hummed in thought before addressing Athena once more. "Athena. Locate their place of residence, please."

After a moment, Athena replied. "Found."

"Tag the location for future reference."

"Saved."

"Good. Hack into their phone. Let's have us a peek."

"Acquiring access. Patching in now."

The feed displayed a decent sized apartment with tan walls and a kitchenette with a white and cherry wood island counter. Due to the height that the phone was sitting at, the counters barely showed above the retro style, navy couch, which happened to reach across the right three-quarters of the screen. Next to the couch was a nightstand. On the night stand stood a trophy-shaped lamp with a metallic, hemispherical lampshade. The lamp helped add a touch of novelty to the apartment alongside a couple of snow-camo throw pillows. A glass coffee table rounded out the view that the little phone camera is transmitting.

* * *

On screen, Jessie Michaels was standing in the in the kitchenette cleaning dishes while his little brother, Danny, was lying on the couch, facing the ceiling with one arm hanging off the edge. From the look of satisfaction on his face, it was clear that they just had a very good dinner a few minutes ago.

Danny released a massive belch.

"Check, please." He said as he fanned away the smell.

Jessie laughed at his brother's antics. Before speaking. "I take it you enjoyed dinner, then?"

"Drop your guns, bro. The kitchen, she be callin'." Danny replied blissfully.

Jessie scoffed as he wiped his hands dry with a hand towel. "Glad you liked it. Can't take the credit, though. That was Mama Lumusi's recipe."

A look of nostalgia crossed Danny's face at hearing the name. "She always was mean with a stove." He finished with a smile on his face.

"Recipes for days, eh?"

"Weeks. Months. YEARS EVEN! And they all taste amazing."

"They should if they got you to eat your vegetables."

"I know, right?" Danny replied as he sat up to make room for his brother.

Jessie walked up to the couch and placed both hands on its back before he, in one quick and smooth motion, jumped over as he pulled his tucked legs under then ahead of himself so that he landed sitting down next to his brother with an air of nonchalance.

Danny grabbed the touchpad T.V. remote before flicking it on. The news was on. They watched as the news anchor was heard speaking about the Museum heist earlier that day.

"Hey look!" Danny leaned forward in enthusiasm to something being shown away from the phone camera's view. The older Michaels just rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smirk at whatever had the younger sibling excited.

"Here it comes, here it comes, aaaaaaaaand…BOOM! YEAH! THAT WAS SO AWESOME!" He jumped off the couch in sheer excitement, thrusting both fists into the air. He turned to Jessie before speaking again. "You look so much cooler on T.V.!" He turned back to the T.V. "Looks like the itsy-bitsy spider didn't know what hit her!" He finished with a laugh.

Jessie chuckled. "Alright, alright, that's enough. We had our fifteen minutes of fame. Let's see what else is on." He said as he grabbed the remote.

Danny had regained his composure and sighed.

"You know, you could get a girlfriend because of that." He said with a thoughtful expression. The older sibling stared at his younger brother, skepticism painfully obvious on his face.

"Yeeeaaaahhh…. I doubt it." He said, unconvinced.

"Seriously! You were on T.V., man. Everybody's gonna know you helped Overwatch heroes stop the bad guys from stealing a super weapon! Chicks go CRAZY for that!"

"I repeat: doubt it."

"Oh, come on. Think about. Everyone loves a hero, right?" He then looks towards the phone, then walks towards it. A moment later, the screen is showing nothing more than a human eye blinking back at the camera. Danny continued.

"In fact, I'd bet they're watching us right now. Stalking us – or rather you – through the phone camera, or the street cameras…. or even from the building across the street with a powerful lens." He pulls back just as Jessie began to speak.

"Danny, seriously. Enough. I doubt anyone would be watching us through the phone camera. Besides, I'm not a hero. I'm just a military reject. No girl would want to date that, little buddy."

Danny sat back down next to his brother, frustration clear on his youthful features. "Geez. It's like you're coming up with excuses to not get a girlfriend. What's with you? Look, I bet that if you try, you can get any chick you want. You're a Michaels after all, right?"

Jessie chuckled at that as Danny continued.

"How about our neighbor? Monica?" Danny asked as he started pulling out candidates. Jessie found this annoying. However, he decided to play along.

"Nah. Too uptight."

"The girl who works at the café down the street?"

"Not my type."

"…. Mama Lumusi?"

"Too old." He replied with a smile.

Danny laughed before he continued.

"The receptionist at the clinic?"

Jessie winced. "I think she's a guy."

Danny blanched before he shook himself out of it and started thinking. Jessie decided it was time to put an end to this game.

"Danny, look. I appreciate you trying hook me up but this getting ridiculous now…. Danny? Hellooooo, earth to Danny!"

Jessie was waving his hand in front of his deep-in-thought little brother's face and snapping his fingers trying to coax a reaction from him.

But then….

"THAT'S IT!" Danny suddenly jumped off the couch while pointing at the ceiling. Jessie just stared, once again, at the super intelligent ball of energy that is his little brother. Danny then turned to Jessie as he began to explain.

"I know exactly who would be perfect for you!"

"Who?"

"You don't need a barista, or an old lady, or a ladyboy. You need someone of YOUR caliber. You are a hero! So…"

"I'm not a…."

"WHATEVER! Doesn't change the fact that the person I thought of is perfect for you."

Jessie rubbed his face and sighed. _'This should be fun.'_ He thought before looking back at his eager brother.

"Alright, cupid. What have ya got?"

"Tracer."

"…."

"…."

"….Are you high?"

"I'm serious, man! Tracer is perfect for you! You're a man of action and she's a woman of action! You're handsome and she's beautiful! You can do parkour and she can do acrobatics! Also, you want to help the world and so does she! You two would be the perfect couple!"

"Danny, this thing is going too far." Jessie was getting irritated, but Danny was completely lost in his fantasies, with stars in his eyes and no sign of returning anytime soon.

"I can see it now. The two of you, back to back, fighting off bad guys! The juggernaut and the mockingbird. All the guys in the world would be jealous. You two would go on a date, and you'd use the Michaels charm to woo her. You would join Overwatch, and before each mission, you would share a 'good luck' kiss. Then, during your vacation, you'll bring her to the heritage museum in town, the place where you first met, and you get down on your knees and propose to her. And 'cause she loves you, she'll obviously say yes. Next thing anyone knows is that she's now Mrs. Tracer Michaels. Man, having Tracer as my sister-in-law would be so cool! We could…."

Little did the delusional child know, Jessie had long since stopped listening as he had put on a pair of wireless headphones that were connected to the T.V. and was watching an action movie with the volume turned up to drown out his brother's constant droning.

* * *

Winston cut the feed.

"Well, that was interesting." He said before looking up at his partner's face.

Tracer was blushing furiously at what she heard.

Winston couldn't help it as he laughed at Lena's expense. She just glared at her best friend.

"Oh sure. Take the mickey out of me why don'cha." She grumbled.

She then looked back at the screen and sighed before she spoke again.

"Still. I guess I should be flattered that he thinks of me that way." She said with a dismissive shrug.

"Should I start planning the wedding?"

"Winstooon!"

Winston laughed again. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" He placated as he reigned in his composure. He sighed as he turned to his A.I. assistant.

"Heh. Athena, please keep an eye on the Michaels residence for me. If anything of significance transpires then inform me immediately."

"Of course, Winston." The ever-helpful Athena replied.

Lena crossed her arms as she looked back to the two open profiles on the monitors. "I really hope nothing happens to them. They're good lads." She stated with a tone heavy with concern for the two civilians.

"I hope so, too. That's why we're keeping an eye on them. Should anything happen, we'll be there to stop it."

Tracer just hummed in agreement before turning to leave.

"Well, I'm gonna bugger off. Things to do before we're operational, yeah?" She said before blinking back to the lower floor.

Winston grunted in realization as Lena reminded him of something.

"That reminds me. I got work to do myself. See you later, Lena."

"La'ers!" She bid the guerilla before blinking away.

* * *

An hour later, Lena was in her room going over her equipment. As she worked she remembered what the younger Michaels said on screen, earlier. The thought of love and marriage brought up memories that caused the adventurer heartbreak.

' _Marriage, eh Emily? I wonder if that ever crossed your mind.'_


	2. ARC 1: Time To Leave

**A.N.: Now edited.**

* * *

 **Watchpoint Gibraltar, Main Lab**

 ** _4 days after museum heist_**

Winston was having a nap. He was also dreaming. In his dream, he was trying to solve a conundrum that required all his intellect to figure out.

Standing before him was the mother of all peanut butter jars and he has no idea how to remove the giant lid.

However, just as he finally figured out a way, he was yanked from his dream heaven by Athena who effectively utilized the lab klaxon alarm to immediately wake up the hyper-intelligent-mega-gorilla.

He spoke while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Athena! I almost had it…" He started to complain but was cut off by the A.I.

"Winston, the Michaels residence is being attacked!" She spoke sternly.

Winston's eyes shot open.

"What!?"

* * *

"Echo-4, do you read?"

"Loud and clear."

"Do you have eyes on the target?"

"Copy that."

"Echo-2, Echo-3, report."

"In the elevator, heading up."

"Roger that. Eliminate objectives then pull out. Echo-4 has scope on them, just in case.

"10-4. We arrived on their floor. Delivering message now."

* * *

 **Rhodes Apartment Complex, Apartment #908**

"There's an error with the regulator. That's why the safeties keep kicking in."

It was a late Numbani evening. Inside the Michaels household, Danny was sitting on the kitchenette floor, staring at his laptop. The oven was on the fritz, so Danny, being a wizard with a computer, decided to connect to the oven's interface to see what the issue was. He was starving and dinner was on hold due to the malfunctioning appliance, so he put his entire being into finding the issue. Which he did. Unfortunately for him and Jessie, the problem is hardware related and that left them stuck with no oven for a while.

Jessie sighed at the news. "Well, there goes dinner. Gonna have to get a repair guy in to fix it."

Danny pouted. "Oh maaan. I was REALLY looking forward to garlic bread."

"Sorry, little buddy." Jessie apologized as he got off his perch on top of the island counter. He then patted his little brother sympathetically on the shoulder. Danny just shrugged and got up with his laptop.

"Eh. C'est la vie, right?" He looked up to his brother with a smile. "So. Salem's?"

Jessie smiled back. Salem's sounded good to him at that moment.

"Definitely. Grab your jacket, it's chilly tonight." He finished just as there was a knock on the door. Confused as to who would be calling, Jessie decided to answer it, while Danny went to his room to grab his things. He reached out and opened the door halfway.

Two men stood before him. Both wearing matching long coats and black outfits and they both held serious, no nonsense expressions. They were intimidating figures to say the least.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Jessie D. Michaels, formally of the united states military?" One of them asked, voice colder than Antarctica at night.

Alarm bells went off in Jessie's head but kept on a stoic expression. His body, however, was tense and ready to react at the first sign of trouble.

"Yeah, that's me. Who are you?" He asked carefully.

His reply came in the guise of assault rifles, curtesy of the long coats.

"SHIT!" Jessie jumped to the side, slamming the door as he did. Just in time, as he just missed the barrage of gunfire that tore through his front door. He was completely caught by surprise. He need to move and get to cover before he ended up a statistic. Without a second thought, Jessie dove for the island counter. The cabinet under the sink was his next goal as he took no time to yank it open and pull out a large, grey attaché case. Thoughts of his brother's safety flooded his mind as he flipped the case open and grabbed the gun inside along with the three loaded magazines.

The gunfire had receded as he loaded the shotgun in his hands. By the time he pumped it, what remained of the front door was kicked off its hinges as it came crashing to the floor. Jessie let his military training take over as he quietly leaned against the island, ears straining to listen as he waited for the right time to make his move on the home invaders.

Echo-2 and Echo-3 stood outside the door, pointing their reloaded weapons through the gap as they scanned the apartment for their targets. Echo-2 signaled for Echo-3 to move forward and they slowly and quietly made their way inside. They circled around the destroyed door as to avoid making noise. Echo 3 stalked towards the couch and T.V. while Echo-2 went in the direction of the kitchenette, slowly and methodically clearing the apartment.

Echo-2 approached the island counter that shielded the elder Michaels, his footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor until he was close enough that he started walking on the tiles. He proceeded with even gentler foot falls, and yet, despite this, Jessie still managed to hear the first step, but only just, and swung the business end of his pump-action towards the source, ready to blow the head off anyone who threatened his family.

Echo-2 was close enough that Jessie could see his shadow. Both off them tightened their grip on their respected weapons, trigger fingers at the ready.

*thunk*

Echo-2 snapped around in an instant, ready to tear into what he thought was his target. However, it turned out to be Echo-3, who had inadvertently knocked the trophy lamp off the end table. Jessie, having been fully familiarized of the table's flimsy nature, saw his chance while the enemy was distracted.

He leaned forward and took the shot, aiming for Echo-2's arm. Consequently, this caused the gunman to drop his weapon and yell out in pain. Not wasting a single second, Jessie jumped up and grabbed Echo-2 in a stranglehold. Aware of the need to pump it, he dropped his shotgun and, with precise skill, kicked up the automatic rifle the wounded man dropped. Echo-3 reacted to the commotion behind him and opened fire, unaware his partner was being used as a shield. The armor-piercing rounds ripped through Echo-2's armor vest before being lodged in his chest. By the time Echo-3 realized this and stopped, he ended up sharing the same fate as jessie shot back with the twin rifle.

In an unforeseen turn of events, Jessie Michaels had successfully eliminated two hitmen sent to kill him, and possibly, his little brother.

He dropped the body he was still holding, letting it hit the ground with a thud. He then leaned down and grabbed his shotgun. He hooked the smaller rifle to the belt loop on his pants letting it hang freely.

"Je-e-essie?" Danny's fearful and hesitant voice came from the small hallway leading to their rooms and toilet. Jessie took a moment to sigh a breath of relief, knowing that the worst was probably over and that his brother was safe.

"It's ok, Danny. I'm here. But don't come out, yet. It's a mess." Jessie called back as he began to search the body of Echo 2. He found extra ammo for the rifle and little else. _'Whoever these bozos were, they didn't leave anything to I.D. them.'_ He thought, grimly.

"What happened?" Danny asked, still shocked by what transpired in their home.

"Two guys picked a bad day to be home invaders."

"Invaders!? You mean like…like burglars!? But Numbani's supposed to be one of the safest cities in the world! Who were those guys?" Danny started to panic at the thought that someone tried to break into their home.

"Calm down, champ. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths." The elder Michaels attempted to placate his younger brother's nervousness before he continued. "No idea who they are. They got nothing on them that can give us a clue."

Danny did as he was told and started to calm down. Jessie, meanwhile, remained by Echo-2 as he thought over the situation. _'Who ever these guys are, they were pros. Chances are there's gonna be more where these jackholes came from.'_

"Danny."

"Yeah?"

"Call the cops, will ya?"

"Okay."

While Danny tried to get a hold of the police, Jessie gave Echo-2 another look. He was about to call it quits but then noticed something in the stiff's ear. Pulling it out, he found the man's earwig communicator. This did NOT sit well with Jessie. If both gunmen had these, that meant that there were definitely more of them.

"Jessie!" Danny's worried call broke through his thoughts.

"Yeah?" Jessie replied. His own voice was laced with worry.

"The lines are dead! I can't call anyone!"

 _'_ _Holy shit, this is not good.'_

"Danny, grab the back packs. We're buggin' out."

Danny gasped at his brother's order. He shot up and ran back to their rooms to grab their things. Jessie held the earwig in his hand and walked over towards the other body in the room, with the intent to search it before they left.

Not two feet away from the body, Jessie's fears have been proven valid as a bullet smashed through the window, grazing his shirt.

"DAMN IT!" He shouted in surprise as he ducked to the side.

"DANNY, THE SHUTTERS! COVER THE WINDOWS!" He didn't wait for a reply as he closed the shutters to the two windows in the living room. A sniper can't shoot what it can't see. Still didn't stop the shooter from sending a burst through both windows.

"Aaagh!" Jessie quickly looked around the apartment for something that may remedy their situation. He noticed the light controls by the front door and he quickly reached for them and killed the lights.

 _'_ _The darkness should help…I hope.'_ He thought to himself. With a second's reprieve, Jessie headed to his room, grabbing his dropped shotgun. On the way, he remembered something that may help them get out of this mess alive. He looked down at his hand and saw the earwig comm. piece he pulled out of Echo-2. As he entered his room, an idea came to mind.

He found Danny packing like he was told.

"Danny!" He said, gaining the attention of the younger boy. He was shaking, terror clear in the child's eyes. Jessie can see his little brother's distress. He dropped the shotgun and knelt in front of him, placing both hands on his shoulders as he spoke gently.

"How you doing, champ?" He asked quietly.

If Jessie didn't know his brother as well as he did, he wouldn't have been able to tell that Danny was freaking out. As it is, he simply looked nervous, but Jessie knew better.

Danny swallowed before he spoke. "Good. I'm doing good. Just...uh, just packing up...like you said. Packing up so we can bug out, right? ...Right." He nodded as he spoke, tone thick with nerves.

Danny is only ten years old. He's not a soldier by any stretch. He didn't have the life experience to handle this situation. He didn't even believe he would be in this situation in the first place. Jessie knew this better than anyone, and if he could, he would have saved Danny from ever having to experience this mess at all, and made sure he never would.

Jessie pulled his brother into a tight, protective hug. Danny reciprocated with his own, not daring to let go of his older brother.

"Keep it together, little buddy. I need you to keep your cool. We're gonna get out of here, and when we do, we're gonna have a totally boss story to tell." He gave Danny a gentle squeeze. "But to do that, I'm gonna need you to be strong for me. Can you do that?" He felt Danny smile on his shoulder and nodded his affirmative. After another gentle squeeze, he pulled back to face his brother. "That's what I'm talking about." He gave Danny a confident smile. Danny smiled back, thankful his older brother was there to look after him.

"Now, listen. We're not out of the woods yet but if we keep our heads, then we'll be able to skate by. Understand?" Another nod. "Good. Now, I need you to do me a favor." He showed Danny the earwig. "This is a 2-way communicator. Can you kill the mic on this?"

Danny looked at the tiny, ear-mounted device before he took it, confused as to why Jessie needed it.

"I should, but…why?"

"If we can listen in without them knowing, we'll know what they're doing and we'll be able to move around them, avoiding any confrontations." The former soldier explained.

Danny didn't say anything else and went straight to work, grabbing his laptop to hack the communicator. While he worked, Jessie finished the packing. The packs were travel spec, so they had plenty of space to carry what they needed. Both packs carried clothes. Jessie's had a first-aid kit and their I.D.s and passports. Danny's would be carrying his laptop and all associated equipment.

Once that was done, Jessie reached under his bed and grabbed another gun case. This one was much smaller and housed a pistol, ammo, and his old military-issued combat knife. He placed the weapons on top of his bed before grabbing his jacket and putting it on, zipping it up halfway. He tucked the pistol in one of the jacket's inner pocket and the ammo in the other. The knife was strapped to his left thigh.

Finally, Jessie grabbed his wallet, and pocketed his smokes and lighter.

By now, Danny had finished tweaking the earwig and handed it to his brother, who wasted no time putting it on.

* * *

"...cho-4, drop scope and head to the rear entrance."

"Acknowledged."

"Echo-1, this is Echo-5. We are approaching the floor."

"Copy that, Echo-5. Stay frosty. This guy took down Echo-2 and Echo-3. He's no pushover."

"Roger that, Echo-1."

* * *

"Second wave's coming." Jessie stated. Danny was getting worried.

"What're we gonna do, Jessie?"

Jessie thought for a moment before being hit with inspiration.

"Danny, are you still hacked into the oven?" He quickly asked.

The underage hacker just stared, dumbfounded. "Uh, yeah? Why?"

"Can you disable the safeties?"

"Yeah, I can but wha…oh, oooohhh." Danny realized what his brother was planning. Wordlessly, he grabbed his laptop again and reactivated the oven's interface, fingers flying over the holographic keyboard as he attempted to deactivate the safety protocols installed in the firmware.

Meanwhile, Jessie walked out into the living room and listened. He could here thumping boots coming from down the hallway, outside the apartment. Knowing they were running out of time, he ran back into the room, grabbing his assault rifle from his belt.

"Danny, they're almost here. Hurry up!"

Danny was typing furiously. "Al…most…there…THAT'S IT!"

"Good. When I tell you, crank it to max. Understand?" Danny nodded quickly. Jessie nodded back then checked the ammo clip on the rifle before walking out of the room to set up.

"There's definitely going to be a noise complaint for this."

Echo-5, Echo-6 and Echo-7 stood out front of the wrecked apartment. They could see their team members lying dead on the ground. Slowly they made their way in, scanning their surroundings much more carefully than the two stiffs did. Also, unlike Echo-2 and Echo-3, this group was outfitted in proper combat armor and helmets.

They'd spread out to cover the dark, moderately sized living room quicker; one cover the kitchenette side, one went down the center, and one went around the couch, stepping over the trophy lamp.

They were halfway down when, suddenly, gunfire erupted as Jessie unloaded a full magazine of armor-piercing rounds out of his confiscated assault rifle, shooting wildly at the three new gunmen. Caught by surprise, Echo-6 and Echo-7 dove behind the island counter. Unfortunately for Echo-5, having been the closest to the barrage, he took the brunt of it as he hit the ground dead.

As soon as the gun ran dry he jumped back into his room, avoiding the return fire.

"Danny, now!" He commanded and Danny hit the button on his laptop that turned on the oven at full power. As soon as he did, both brothers hit the deck, covering their ears.

Out by the island counter, the remaining gunmen were about to rush their targets but a sound from behind caused them to spin around and aim at the source. They were confused when they saw that it was just the oven, wondering what turned it on.

They would never get the chance to find out.

* * *

The rest of Echo unit was sitting inside the transport van that they arrived in. Echo-1 was rubbing his temple to alleviate the headache he was getting. This was supposed to be a simple assignment for him; get in, kill a couple of nosey kids and get out. However, one of the targets turned out to be crafty.

Now he's two men down and those kids were still kicking.

 _'_ _No matter.'_ He thought. _'Echo-5's team will take care of those punks. Heh, this'll make an interesting story for the bar.'_

Confident that the Michaels boys will soon be nothing more than a memory, he leaned his seat back and relaxed as he waited for the all clear from his men.

*BOOOOOOMMMMMM*

The call which would never come.

Echo unit jumped out of the van and look up towards the targets' apartment, debris from the explosion raining around them.

The sound of something heavy crashing behind them made everyone turn around. A semi-charred body had landed onto the transport van, leaving the raised roof collapsed in the middle.

Echo-1 took a closer look at the cadaver, only to recognize the mess as Echo-6.

The remaining members of Echo watched as their commander began to seethe at this major setback.

He faced them and spoke, his voice clearly showing his irritation.

"Get your candy-asses up there and make sure those punks are dead. Do you hear me? DEAD!"

They didn't say a word as they grabbed their gear and ran into the building. Echo-1 stayed where he was as he cursed this assignment and the targets with a sailor's tongue.

* * *

Jessie and Danny slowly lifted their heads and uncovered their ears. The bedroom was covered in dust and a little bit of soot. Smoke was floating in from the living room. Thankfully it was not a thick plume, which means there wasn't a massive fire to contend with.

They gave each other identical looks; ones that clearly said "Damn."

Jessie got up and looked out the bedroom door. His jaw nearly hit the floor.

The apartment was complete and thoroughly destroyed. Everything. Even the trophy lamp was a write-off. The walls were charred black, the windows were blown out, there was nothing left of the oven, the island counter no longer existed, the sink was somehow lodged in the ceiling, and the bodies were barely recognizable. One was missing.

"The oven did this." His voice was heavy with disbelief.

He went back to Danny and grabbed his guns, securing the rifle and picking up the shotgun.

"Time to leave, little buddy. Close your eyes until we're out in the hallway. I don't want you to see this." He stated, remembering the burned remains of the gunmen.

Danny swallowed and took a deep breath before nodding his consent.

This was it. It was time for them to make their escape. Danny held his brother's hand and closed his eyes, completely trusting his brother be his eyes as the elder Michaels began to lead them through the destroyed apartment. After the two made it out into the hallway, Jessie took a minute to run back in and salvage some more ammunition for the rifle. Once that was done, he aimed his shotgun down the hall and started walking at a pace, with Danny in tow.

The elevator was at the end of the hall. Hidden in a notch right next to the elevator was the stairwell. As they approached they, ready to climb in and descend to freedom, it suddenly came alive and began to head down without them.

Danny looked crestfallen at the sheer bad luck while Jessie nearly swore before he heard his earwig came on. He listened closely.

"Echo-1, elevator's coming down now, getting ready to head up."

"Good. Bring me their goddamn heads. Damn kids."

"For the love of god, how many of these guys are there!?" Jessie was getting tired of this. He grabbed Danny by the arm and pulled him towards the stairwell.

"Hey! Jessie what's wrong?" Danny complained.

"There're more coming we need to go." Jessie's reply was flat as they entered the stairwell. Jessie looked over the railings down towards the ground floor. The stairs themselves followed the walls of the spacious room, leaving a significant chasm in the center.

"How many are there!?" Danny asked, his frustration showing.

"That's what I said." Replied Jessie.

The little super genius racked his brain for a way to deal with this latest threats. They were using the elevator which was much faster than the stairs by a long shot. That's when he had a brainwave.

Jessie saw his little brother's face light up before he quickly pulled out his laptop and got straight to work.

"Danny, what're you doing, man?" The older man asked incredulously, as he saw his brother sit down.

These guys are taking the elevator up here, right? I'm gonna show them why that's a bad idea." Danny had a mischievous smile that matched his tone.

Jessie was confused at what he was up to. He leaned over Danny's shoulder to see what he was doing. On the screen was a green wireframe display of the building's elevator shaft. There was on orange box moving up along the shaft. Jessie presumed it to be the elevator car.

"Abra kadabra, you ain't getting what you're afta!" With the press of one final key, the orange box came to a halt halfway up the shaft and in between floors. Immediately after that, Jessie began hearing the now trapped gunmen call to their disgruntled and further irritated captain for help.

Jessie couldn't help but laugh.

"Niiiice! Good work there, little buddy. Really good work." He high-fived Danny as he finished.

"Booya! You know it, big bro! I'm a conductor with a keyboard and the digital world is my orchestra!" For the first time since this mess started, Danny was his energetic old self again.

"Heh, you got a way with words, champ. Come on, let's get out of here."

They soon reached the first floor. However, before the took a step down towards the ground floor, the door flew open as a pissed-off Echo-1 marched in before climbing down the stairs towards the basement, no doubt to try and get what's left of his team out of Danny's little trap. Only after he heard the door into the elevator shaft close at the very bottom of the stairs did Jessie take his hand off a surprised Danny's mouth, shocked stiff by the sudden appearance of the captain.

After Danny regained his motor functions, the exited the stairwell onto the ground floor. Not wanting to risk walking into an army of those gunmen, the two brother mutually agree to head out the back where they only had to deal with one.

Out in the back allies, the night air was cool, as they quietly exited out the back door of the apartment complex. Seeing that the coast was clear, the boys briskly walked towards the side alley, and hopefully, their freedom.

As soon as they rounded the corner into the next alley, the brother immediately backpedal behind it again. They were nearly seen by another one of the gunmen sent to kill them. Jessie remembered him as Echo-4, the sniper that nearly got him by the window in their apartment.

In the alley with Echo-4 was a moving truck. Its rear shutter was lifted, showing an empty cargo area. Jessie saw an opportunity to sneak around the armed killer by hiding behind the truck. All him and Danny had to do was sneak past him.

*grrrrrrp*

Jessie snapped his horrified gaze back at his brother, who held his stomach with equal parts fear and guilt. Danny hadn't eaten since lunch and his gut picked a bad time to let its displeasure be known, and rather loudly as well.

"Who's there!?" Echo-4 had heard the noise, and spun around facing the corner, gun at the ready.

Jessie cursed their luck. As the gunman began to approach the corner they were hiding behind, he quickly and quietly put down his guns. Danny blanched at what his older brother was doing, but before he could say anything, Jessie lifted a finger to his lips. Danny got the hint and stayed quiet. Jessie then signaled to him to cover his eyes and ears. He didn't want Danny to see or hear what he was about to do.

As Danny did what he was told, Jessie unsheathed his combat knife and stood at the ready, waiting for the right time to strike. He let his mind fully focus on the sound of the other man's footsteps, the whole world around him going silent. He felt the muscles in his body tense to the point of tearing. Time seemed to slow down as adrenaline saturated his blood. His eyes followed the approaching shadow with a hawk's focus. Jessie's reflexes were military honed. He was a cobra ready to kill.

When Echo-4 reached the corner, he didn't see it coming. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

At the sight of the tip of his gun, Jessie pounced with speed unmatched. Before Echo-4's mind processed what was happening, his rifle barrel was knocked upwards and a combat knife was plunged into his throat until it hit his spine. A few seconds later, Echo-4 was stone-cold dead. Jessie pulled his knife out and let him fall to the ground. After taking a short moment to relax, the ex-soldier wiped the blood off his knife and hand on the corpse's clothes before returning to his little brother.

Danny was right where Jessie left him. After sheathing his knife, he tapped Danny's shoulder, letting the child know it was safe.

Danny opened his eyes to his brother's smiling face. He then took his fingers out of his ears as Jessie grabbed his guns again.

"Okay, the coast is clear. Now listen, we're gonna jack that truck over there. There's a good chance the keys won't be in it. If that's the case, I'm gonna need you to hack it. You up for that?" Jessie laid out the plan for Danny and waited for his answer.

"Definitely!" Danny nodded with vigor. Their escape was a stone throw away.

"Atta boy! Oh, you might wanna look away for a bit."

Jessie put his arm around Danny's shoulders, making sure he's between him and the dead body. Once past, Jessie pushed his little brother ahead of him towards the unmanned truck. It was then that the earwig came alive once more.

* * *

"Echo-4, this is Echo-1. I got the others out of the elevator. What's your status?"

…

"Echo-4, report."

…

"I said, report!"

…

"SHIT! Echo-4's gone silent. Everyone to the back alley! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"

* * *

"Oh shit!"

Danny was halfway in the truck when he heard his brother's sudden exclamation. Before he could say anything, however, he was pushed the rest of the way in as Jessie climbed in behind him and started frantically searching for the keys.

"Jessie, what…"

"They know we're here. We need to move, now." This got Danny going.

They searched all over the cab of the truck for the keys, feeling deaths grasp on their shoulders.

Meanwhile, Echo unit were now in the stairwell as they made a mad dash to catch their targets.

Seconds felt like hours to the Michaels as they kept looking for the elusive keys.

"Come on, come on! Where are you, you little…" Jessie's frustration was skyrocketing. They would have tried hacking the truck like planned, but with death only seconds away, it would have taken too long. This wasn't an oven, this was an automotive security system. It was far more complex than even the elevator systems.

"Jessie!" Jessie's head snapped to his little brother, his eyes widening at the beautiful sight that was the truck's ignition keys hooked to a golden 8-ball keychain.

Jessie grabbed the keys from Danny, and rammed them home in the ignition barrel before twisting the living daylights out of it. The engine cranked once, twice then roared to life. Music to the brother's ears.

"AHH! AHAA! YEAH BABY!" Jessie cheered as he shifted into gear and buried the accelerator pedal. The truck jumped forward as Jessie thanked god and the army that his military training covered driving this class of heavy vehicles.

As soon as the truck reached the alley entrance, Echo unit finally arrived and opened fire on the escaping truck. Unfortunately, the truck was already rounding the corner, and all they could hit was the side of the cargo container.

"DAMN IT! GOD-FUCKING-DAMN IT!" Echo-1 was pissed beyond words. Not only did he fail his mission, but his unit was reduced from being ten-strong to only four by a dishonorable discharge and a ten-year-old.

As for the Michaels, they were elated. They just escaped with their lives and none worse for wear.

"Hah! I can't believe we made it. Am I dreaming?" Danny asked, relief evident in his posture.

"No, no you're not, little buddy." Jessie was a lot calmer than his younger sibling, but no less relieved as he rolled down his window and tossed the earwig out. He then reach into his back pocket and pulled out his cigarettes.

Danny took a deep, calming breath before he spoke again.

"So, what do we do now?" He asked, as his mind went over what happened tonight. Outside, fire trucks roared past, sirens blaring, heading towards the apartment building.

Jessie contemplated as he lit his cigarette and took a drag.

"Right now, we're getting out of this neighborhood, then we're gonna get some food. After that, we ditch this rig and go into hiding."

"Hiding?"

"Whoever those guys were, they wanted us dead. Why? I don't know, but I have an idea."

"You mean the museum?"

"That's what I was thinking."

"So, those guys work for Reaper and Widowmaker?"

"Also, a possibility."

"But why didn't _they_ come after us instead?"

"They probably thought we were easy pickings and not worth their time. If that's the case, then thank god for that."

…

"Danny?" Jessie looked over at Danny, who was thinking.

"Do you think Overwatch could help us?"

"I wouldn't put my hopes on a dead organization, little buddy."

"But they're not dead! You saw them at the museum! Maybe they're working underground because of the Petras Act!"

Jessie sighed. "Maybe, but right now, I don't think we should put all our chips on them. For now, we can only rely on ourselves. Besides, even if they are, we wouldn't know how to contact them to begin with."

"Yeah…I guess you're right." Danny solemnly admitted. "Still wish they could help us."

Jessie reached over and patted his baby brother on the head.

"I know, little buddy, I know."


	3. ARC 1: On The Prowl

**Rhodes Apartment Complex, Apartment #908**

Officer William Obi stood guard at the police line in front of Apartment #908, making sure that the area remained secure. The situation was a mess. He was on patrol in the next neighborhood over when he received the call to head over to Rhode's. When he arrived, he had been shocked along with all the other uniforms present. An apartment had been blown sky high, the tenants were missing, and there were over seven dead bodies, six John Does and the employee who was working the front desk.

Numbani was voted as one of the top five safest cities in the world. To find that something like this happened was mind boggling. Add to that the fact that the John Does were armed and had no form of identification, and it's migraine inducing.

It was currently 10:05 pm. He had been at it for the better part of two hours while investigators questioned potential witnesses, and forensics continued going over the other crime scenes; they had long finished combing over the apartment. Obi figured that they would all be done soon and he could go home. He saw the coroners take away the corpses and the investigators were questioning the last person. All he had to do was wait for the forensics team who shouldn't be long.

The arrival tone of the elevator down the hall caught his attention. The doors opened to reveal two figures. One was of Asian descent, that much Officer Obi could tell. His hair was tied back, small tufts of grey on the sides showing his age, which the officer guessed to be in his later 30s. He was wearing a dark grey suit with a bluish-grey button-up dress shirt and a tie. His posture was arrow straight and he walked with confidence. He aura was strong and it demanded respect.

The other figure was different. Officer Obi couldn't place what it is, though. The man's face was hidden due to a black hooded sweat shirt that had green dragon line-art printed around the torso. He also wore grey loose-fit jeans and black trainers with green soles. His posture was more casual and relaxed with both hands buried in his pockets and out of sight. He also had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

Officer Obi stood straighter as the two new arrivals approached. The suited man spoke.

"Excuse me, officer, but what has happed here?" He asked with polite curiosity and concern.

Obi guessed from the accent that the man was Japanese. Not sensing any hostilities from the two men, he decided to answer.

"An oven exploded in this apartment. It completely demolished the living room. Residents in the neighboring apartments also reported gunfire before the explosion." The Nigerian police officer answered.

"Gunfire?" The hooded man asked in surprise. His voice sounded synthesized. Obi figured he might be an omnic. He carried the same accent as the other man.

"Yes. When we arrived, we found bodies, most of which were littered with gunshot wounds. One was stabbed in the neck."

The two civilians looked to each other in worry before addressing Officer Obi once more.

"That sounds dreadful." Said the suited man.

"Is it safe now?" Asked the hooded figure.

Officer Obi nodded once before replying with confidence. "It is. No need to worry. Also, the bodies have been removed, so you don't have to worry about that, as well." He then narrowed his eyes at the two men, curiosity getting the better of him. "Do you live here?"

The Japanese gentleman replied with his own nod before presenting the officer with a keycard for one of the apartments. "Indeed. We live next door in apartment #909. Why do you ask?"

"Curious. Did you happen to know the residents of this apartment?"

"Mm, no. We are usually out for most of the day. We never had the chance to properly know them." The Japanese man shook his head at this.

The Numbani police officer nodded again, this time in understanding. There was an ever-so-brief moment of silence before the hooded man spoke.

"Well then. We shall leave you be, officer." He said with a small bow.

"Indeed, and thank you for your time. We hope you find whoever you are after, and that you find resolution to this mishap." The man in the suit added with a small, gracious smile.

Officer Obi returned the smile. "Much obliged, citizen. Have a good night now."

With that, the two men walked past and entered the adjacent apartment. Once they were gone, Obi returned to his duty. The Hallway was quiet, once again, and it wasn't long until the monotony and the lack of any form of distraction began to weigh on the poor Nigerian man. He yawned, then decided to check the time.

10:20pm. It had been ten minutes since the newcomers left which meant that their conversation only lasted five minutes.

Obi wanted to cry because of how bored he was, but he was a respected member of the Numbani police and he takes his assignments seriously, no matter how small they are. Still, he wished the investigators would hurry up.

His wish was soon granted and salvation came when he received the call to head out. Officer Obi wasted no time packing up and was soon making his way down the hall towards the elevator. The arrival tone echoed through the hall, signifying his departure from the floor.

However, as Officer William Obi's work ended, the work of another began.

Inside apartment #909, the hooded figure from earlier sat against the door with his legs folded beneath him, arms crossed across his chest, head bowed and his hearing trained on the sound of the retreating footsteps and the subsequent elevator tone.

The inside of the man's hood came alive with a strong green glow as he raised his head, revealing a glowing visor where his eyes should be and a metallic mask.

"Hanzo." He called out to the other occupant of the apartment.

"Yes, Genji?" He answered from his spot on the couch, the duffle bag by his feet.

"It is time." Genji answered as he stood up and began taking of his clothes to reveal the cyborg body underneath.

"Then let us begin."

* * *

" **You're useless, captain."** Came the dark voice on the other line.

"I'm sorry, sir. He got lucky. It won't happen again." Replied Echo-1.

" **A former lieutenant and a child managed to kill six of your men and trap the rest. I wouldn't say that's luck captain. Sounds more like stupidity on your end, don't you agree?"**

"Yes, sir."

" **And now you're going to find them, right?"**

"Yes, sir."

" **And this time you're not going to let them get the better of you, correct?"**

"Yes, sir."

" **Good. We're sending you reinforcement. Once they arrive, I want you to hunt those two down. Don't disappoint me again, captain, otherwise, it'll be your head hanging on my mantle."** The voice threatened before hanging up.

Echo-1 sighed as he dropped the headset and rubbed his face with both hands out of frustration. He then turned to what remained of Echo unit with a sigh before he addressed the skeleton crew. They were in their van, parked in an alley in a different part of the city from the apartment complex.

"All right jug heads, listen up. Reaper is not happy with us at all, right now. He's sending us more bodies, and after that we're gonna hunt down those little shits. For now, though, lets fall back to the safe house."

Echo-9 chose this moment to speak up. "Should we be worried that he might join us?"

"Don't worry. Those two aren't gonna catch us off guard again. They don't have the home field advantage anymore. Echo-8, you get a scent?"

Echo-8 looked up from his equipment, a small collection of screens and comm. Devices, at his captain. "Yup. It was faint, but I got a wiff. That kid is good. His signal is secured up the wazoo. It'd take me a while, if ever, to crack it. He's sloppy, though. That's why I caught the signal in the first place."

Echo-1 shook his head once. "We don't have the time for you to crack it. Can you use it to track the targets?"

"Yes sir. If they're using the signal, or have used it somewhere, then we'll be able to pick it up, when we're in range. Then all we have to do is follow the yellow brick road."

"Good. Stay on top of it. When they surface I wanna know about by yesterday, understand me?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Echo-8 confirmed.

Echo-1 sighed before his tone took on a dangerous edge.

"I'm gonna kill those fuckers. No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it."

* * *

They paced around the destroyed living room as they surveyed the damage, hoping to find a lead on the Michaels' location. Genji had disrobed and had his swords sheathed on his back, while Hanzo only removed his tie, but carried his bow and had a quiver of arrows hanging from his back. They remained silent for a while as they took it all in.

Genji was the first to speak.

" _Watashi wa, ōbun ga ko no yōna ōkina songai o hikiokosu kanōsei ga aru to wa omowanakattadeshou."_ **[I never would have thought that an oven could cause this much damage.]** He said in his native tongue. He was impressed by the destructive power of the oven. He scoffed once before continuing. _"Sore o bakudan to shite tsukau koto wa, dokusō-tekidesu."_ **[Using it as a bomb is rather ingenious.]**

Hanzo hummed in agreement.

" _Karera wa ikinokoru tame ni kankyō o riyō suru koto ga kenmeideshita."_ **[They were wise to utilize their environment in order to survive.]** Hanzo replied. He was just as impressed as his younger brother. Hanzo was inspecting the oven's remains for obvious signs of tampering.

Genji, meanwhile was looking through the rubble for any kind of clue regarding their queries or the people who attacked them. He eyes stayed on the remains of a trophy lamp, admiring how it used to be, before continuing his search.

" _Nani ka mitsukemashita ka?"_ **[Did you find anything?]** Genji asked as he stood up to check the bullet holes in the walls.

Hanzo grunted in frustration before replying. _"Nani mo nai. Watashi wa shinshitsu o chekku suru."_ **[Nothing. I will check the bedrooms.]** He then got up and headed towards the bedrooms.

First room he entered indicated to a young occupant. The room itself had an Overwatch theme to it. A few recruitment posters were hanging from the walls, the bed sheets had the logo printed on them, and a couple of Overwatch statuettes were left on the desk, which was covered in electronic bits and pieces.

After a thorough inspection of the bedroom, Hanzo moved on to the next room which was more Spartan. Only picture frames on top of the dresser showed a personal touch of any kind in the room. They showed photographs of the two civilians the Shimadas were looking for. The earliest one showed a young boy and two adults; his parents. Another showed the same boy only older, with only his pregnant mother. The father wasn't in this one. The third showed the same boy with a small smile, holding a baby who was barely two years of age. In the fourth one, the boy was now a man, dressed in full military uniform. He was down on one knee with an arm around a very excited child Hanzo presumed to be the baby from the previous photo. The last one showed the two brothers as they are now. It was a close-up picture with the two making silly faces, and overall, having a good time.

Hanzo couldn't help but smile. The photographs brought back many happy memories of him and Genji from when they were children. They were nigh on inseparable, until their lineage pulled them slowly apart. They were trained to succeed their father as the heads of the clan. That lead to Genji's disobedience and, ultimately, to his death at Hanzo's hands and his rebirth by Overwatch. As for Hanzo himself, he couldn't bear the burden of what he had been forced to do. He had abandoned the clan, and spent the subsequent years drifting around the world, avoiding the assassins the enraged clan kept sending after him, and to seek redemption for his crime against his beloved baby brother.

Hanzo cleared his head. Now was not the time for wallowing in his guilt.

He returned to Genji only to find his little brother standing near where the kitchenette used to be and staring at something on the ceiling. When he approached, he saw what the cyborg ninja was fixated on… and joined him.

They both spent a good five minutes staring at the sink wedged in the ceiling. They had no clue how it got up there. The position of the oven in relation to it should not have launched that sink into the air at that angle.

They continued to stare. Hanzo then lifted up his bow and poked it, trying to see if it would budge.

It was firmly wedged in there. No play what so ever. The Shimada brothers could only say one thing.

" _Suge e…"_ **[Amazing…]** They chorused.

Their moment of awe was then interrupted when their communicators came on. Winston's voice coming in loud and clear.

"Genji. Hanzo. Report."

Genji answered the call. Hanzo, still hasn't met Winston and would rather stay quiet.

"This place is a mess, Winston. The living room is completely destroyed and the civilians are not her."

"My god! Did you find out what happened?"

"We posed as residents and asked one of the officers on watch. He said it was an explosion caused by the oven. Hanzo checked it for sabotage but found nothing. We think it was set off by the targets. The officer said that the bodies found were John Does. Judging by the bullet holes, they were well prepared." Genji explained.

"So, you think it's Talon." Asked the furry scientist.

"I'm pretty sure." Confirmed the ninja.

"Hmmm. Well, I guess for now you… huh? hold on a second, Genji." Winston said before leaving the line. The Shimadas heard mumbling in the background before an excited Winston came back on the comm. "Change of plans, gentlemen. Athena just found the team sent to kill the Michaels brothers. They were just in a call with Reaper. We weren't able to trace the origin signal but we got a lock on the unit themselves."

This got Hanzo's full attention and Genji was getting just as excited.

"What else?"

"Apparently, those two boys gave as good as they got. They managed to bring a unit of ten men down to only four. Probably thanks to that oven bomb trick of theirs. I think the hitmen were expecting an easy job."

Hanzo scoffed. _"Karera no gōman-sa wa, motonimodosu kotodeshita."_ **[Their arrogance was their undoing.]** He muttered. Genji chuckled.

Winston spoke up again. "Okay, we have their game plan. They're retreating to a safe house to wait for reinforcement. When backup does arrive their gonna go and hunt down the Michaels."

"How will they accomplish this?" Genji asked.

"It appears that little Danny Michaels was skilled, but is inexperienced. He was sloppy and the hit unit's tech guy picked up on his scent. Athena and I will monitor the situation from here. In the meantime, I need you two to stay on alert, and keep your eyes and ears open for anything that might help. Understood?"

"Understood." Genji replied.

Hanzo chose that moment to speak for the first time, and ask a question that had been nagging at him since they arrived in Numbani.

"This seems like a lot of trouble to go through for just two civilians."

Winston grunted in frustration at Hanzo's remark before pointing out to him a significant detail.

"Jessie and Danny Michaels saved the world from the threat of another Doomfist. A Doomfist that would have been working for Talon. I'd say that alone earned them the right to our protection."

* * *

Deep within one of Numbani's lower end districts, Jessie was walking down one of the backroads towards a small inn at the corner. He was carrying a small bag of groceries in one hand, his other in his pocket, ready to make a grab for the gun hidden in his jacket. His eyes were darting all over the place as they scanned every nook, cranny, and dark corners for any hint of trouble.

Since their escape from their apartment, they had managed to get rid of the stolen delivery truck, get some food and find a relatively safe place to hide for a couple of days. They still had not managed to figure out why there was a contract on their heads, but they were convinced it was because of the gauntlet heist at the heritage museum. They didn't want to risk trying to leave the city, at least not so soon. For all they knew, every way out of Numbani was probably being monitored. They just couldn't risk it.

Danny was sitting on one of the twin beds offered in the room they rented out and looking out the window at the night view of the skyline. His head ached from going over their situation constantly. He had questions but no answers. All he could do right now was hope and pray that they would find help. There was still a chance that Overwatch would come to their rescue.

'I just have to believe.'

The clicking of a lock caught his attention. He turned around a saw the front door swing open. He breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he saw his older brother walking in.

"Hey, I'm back. How you doing, Champ?" He asked as he placed the groceries on the only table in the room, and then went to put away the assault rifle with the shotgun.

Danny managed a half-hearted smile. "I'm okay."

Jessie didn't reply. He just gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing fully well what the little boy might be going through.

It was nearing midnight when either of them spoke again.

"Hey. Jessie?" Danny called to his older brother who was sitting on his bed and checking over his weapons. Jessie looked up at his little brother.

"Yeah, bro?"

"What are we gonna do?" Danny asked.

Jessie sighed before answering. "I don't know, little buddy. Wish I did, though. Those guys aren't the type to give up. So, for now, we hide."

"Can't we talk to them? Convince them to leave us alone?" Danny asked even though he knew the answer.

"I doubt it, Danny. Looks to me they have a shoot first ask questions never policy, and I doubt they'd make an exception to that policy just for us."

The younger Michaels sighed.

"No rescue, no respite…"

"…And no sanctuary. I know, pal, I know."

"If only Overwatch was here. They'd know what to do."

"Sorry, buddy, but right now all we got is ourselves. Don't worry, though. I'll find some way out of this mess. I promise you."

"I know. Thanks, Jessie."

"Anytime, little buddy." Jessie answered with a comforting smile.

As Danny laid down on his bed and went to sleep, however, he was oblivious to his older brother's true feelings towards their current situation.

With all the lights out, Jessie leaned on an open window, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, taking in the crisp night air. He was hating himself at that moment. He blamed himself for the mess they were in. He wished he never made a grab for that gauntlet. He wished those hitmen came after him alone, and left Danny out of this. He hated not having a plan to get themselves out of this. He hated feeling so useless when Danny needed him right now. He also hates the fact that if he doesn't come up with something, and soon, the odds are going to catch up to them and he might not be able to keep Danny safe for long.

' _Mom. Dad. What do I do?'_

* * *

 **A.N.: Translations done with Google, so apologies for any incorrect grammar.**


	4. ARC 1: The Rundown

**Delorisa Inn, Front Entrance**

Echo-10 walked out of the inn towards his team. Echo-9 had picked up a lead that lead them straight to the Delorisa Inn, in a lower-class district of Numbani. Unfortunately for Echo Unit, they missed their targets. According to the Inn keeper, the Michaels checked out of their room less than two hours prior to Echo's arrival, after staying there for a good four days.

Echo-1 was antsy. He wants the two brothers and he wants them now. The disgruntled captain had not been able to get over the humiliating failure he and his team received at the hands of their objectives. He wanted to personally put a bullet in each of their heads, then dump their bodies out in the wild to be eaten by lions.

He spotted Echo-10 approaching, his sense of anticipation grew with each step the other man took. Once he was close enough that they were sure no one would hear them, Echo-1 spoke up.

"They in there?" He was anxious and his voice showed it. He really wanted them dead.

"Not anymore. The old man in there said they checked out two hours ago." Echo-10 reported.

The captain grunted loudly in frustration. _'Dammit! Lucky bastards!'_ he thought, then turned to Echo-8 with a glare.

"What took you so long to crack that signal!?" He demanded loudly of his subordinate.

"Sir, the signal was complex and the one I scanned off the elevator system was little more than residue." The tech explained himself.

It did little to alleviate the frustrated captain. "Echo-8, are you telling me that this is gonna happen every single time we get a lead?"

Echo-8 smiled. "No. sir! It's only a one-time deal. It was a direct signal this time, and now that I cracked it, next time we'll get instant results."

Echo-1 began to come around.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yup. What's even better than that, each time we scan their signal, we gain a more potent sample size. This will make finding them easier each time we do."

"Meaning?"

"Next hit will give us enough of a sample size to do a live scan. This means I can scan the signal directly and not search through networks and what not. The hit after that, we'll be able to scan for the source directly instead of waiting for the signal."

Echo-1 raised an eye brow in intrigue. "And after that?"

Now Echo-8 was grinning. "We'll have a live lock on their computer. We'll know _exactly_ where they'll be at any given time."

Now it was Echo-1's turn to grin. "Now we're talking. Good work, Echo-8." He then addressed the rest of the group. "Looks like patience is the key here, people. If Echo-9's plan pans out, then we'll soon have those little shits right where we want them." He chuckled.

' _Then I get to have my fun with them.'_

* * *

 **Watchpoint Gibraltar, Main Lab**

"Winston?"

Winston was sitting in his lab, working on his shield generator when he heard someone call out his name. He lifted his head and smiled at the sight of a blonde woman pulling along a large travel case in one hand.

"Angela! My word, it's been too long!" The scientist said as he stepped away from the work bench and approached the doctor. The two embraced as the medical professional and former Overwatch agent spoke with a German accent.

"Indeed, it has. Mein Gott, you have not changed since I last saw you! How are you?" She asked with sincere enthusiasm at seeing her longtime friend.

"I'm great, thanks. What about you? How was your trip?" Winston replied, returning the enthusiasm.

"It was fine, although I would have arrived here sooner if they did not delay my connecting flight back in Paris, _Aber was soll man machen?_ " **[…but what can you do?]** Angela ended with a shrug.

Winston chuckled. "Well, you're here now and that's what's important, am I right?"

"Yes, you are." Angela smiled at her furry companion.

"Of course I am, Hehehe."

"Indeed." The former agent giggled before looking around.

"Is anyone else here? I seem to remember you saying that Lena was here when we last spoke."

"Lena _was_ here but she left for the UK yesterday. You know Tekhartha Mondatta?" Dr. Zeigler nodded. "He's giving a speech in King's Row, so Lena went to see him and make sure nothing happens to him."

"I see." Angela nodded.

Athena chose this moment to chime in.

"Winston, Dr. Zeigler? I have just received word that former agent Jessie McCree has rejoined the cause."

This left the two pleasantly surprised.

"Mcree! That's great news! I didn't think he would actually come back." Winston spoke, astonishment clear in his voice.

"He used to be a member of Blackwatch so having him with us is a definite victory in and of its self." Added the good doctor.

Winston sighed in satisfaction. "You, me, Mcree, Tracer, Genji and his brother Hanzo…even Athena! We're definitely off to a great start!" Winston couldn't be happier. His family was coming back together again.

Angela raised her brows upon hearing a familiar name.

"Genji? As in Genji Shimada?" She asked.

Winston nodded. "That's right. Former Blackwatch operative Genji Shimada. He's rejoined us as soon as he got the recall."

" _Mein liebes Genji."_ **[My dear Genji.]** Nostalgia dripped from her voice as she recalled the cybernetic human whom she saved from death's grasp when they found him all those years ago, fatally wounded by his own brother. She personally performed the surgery that brought him back as the man he is today.

"He was such an honorable man, yet he was assigned to blackwatch. He would come by the medical wing often after a mission or training. He never said anything about it, but I believe he was worried about the augmentations failing. It took a considerable amount of time to get him to open up and admit that he was not comfortable with his new body, at the time."

Winston scoffed. "Uncomfortable is putting it mildly. He would also stop by the labs to have the implants checked out. At first, we thought it wouldn't hurt to keep tabs on everything, seeing as it was mostly new tech. After a while though even we could see his real intentions." Angela nodded in understanding before the simian scientist continued. "Anyway, that was all in the past. He's now gotten over his issues from what I can tell." This left the good doctor with a smile on her face.

"Oh, that is wonderful to hear." Winston noted the relief in her voice. A thought soon occurred to her. "Pray tell, Winston, where _is_ Genji?"

The question in turn reminded Winston that he needed to check in on the Shimada brothers and their current assignment.

"That reminds me." Said Winston. "I need to check in on their progress."

Dr. Zeigler furrowed her brow in confusion as she watched the intelligent ape head over to his console.

"Progress?" She asked, following closely.

"Yes. You see, Genji hasn't arrived yet. I had to send him and his brother, Hanzo, to Numbani in Nigeria on a rescue mission." Winston answered. The doctor was all ears, now.

"Rescue!? Rescue whom!?"

"Two civilians. Did you hear about the battle in the Numbani Heritage Museum over a week or so ago?" Angela nodded. "While me and Lena were fighting Widowmaker and Reaper, there were these two boys who helped turn the tide of the fight to our favor." He paused.

Stepping up to the console, Winston reopened the Michaels' profiles to show Angela. Her eyes widened as she gasped in horror at the sight of little Danny.

" _Nein. Kein kind."_ **[No. Not a child.]** She whispered.

Winston shared the sentiment.

"Sadly, yes. They're brothers. What had happened was that the older one, Jessie, managed to grab Doomfist's gauntlet before Widowmaker, and used it to incapacitate her. That's when things went south for her and Reaper and forced them to retreat. Obviously, they weren't happy, so they sent a hit squad after the two boys to make an example out of them. As soon as I found out, I sent in Genji and Hanzo to help them."

Angela could only nod as she listened to her furry compatriot.

"When they arrived, however, they found their apartment demolished." Dr. Zeigler couldn't help another gasp as she lifted her hand to her mouth. Winston continued. "Don't worry, Angela. The two boys are alive, and from what The Shimadas reported, Jessie and Danny Michaels were able to fight back and escape with their lives. They even cut down most of the unit sent after them."

Angela let out the breath she was holding in a sigh of relief, the hand covering her mouth dropping to her chest. _"_ _Gott sei Dank."_ **[Thank god.]**

Before anything else could be said by the two, a beep diverted their attention to the console. Winston turned and got to work responding.

"Speak of the devil." Winston muttered as he answered the incoming call from Genji and Hanzo. "Genji."

"Reporting in." The cyborg ninja replied.

"Any news?"

"Talon is getting closer. We followed them to a motel where the targets were staying."

"Were?"

"Hanzo managed to get close enough to overhear. The targets had left prior to Talon's arrival by two hours."

Winston and Dr. Zeigler smiled as Hanzo picked up where his brother stopped.

"However, from what I heard, next time those two will not be so lucky. They have a stronger signal now that they have broken the encryption, and whenever the civilians use that signal, the assassins will know where they are, and they _will_ get closer each time. The hunt has begun and the targets' time is running out." Hanzo finished grimly.

Winston adjusted his glasses. "That's not good."

Genji spoke up again. "We will continue surveillance. If they ever find the targets, then we'll make sure they remain safe." He finished with certainty.

Winston grunted in satisfaction. "Good. Be sure to keep me posted." He looked back to Angela, his mind turning over for a moment before coming to a decision. The doctor watched as the scientist turned back to the console, wandering what was on his mind.

"Genji, be advised. I'm sending in Mercy to assist you."

For an ever-so-brief moment, there was silence on the other end of the line.

"Mercy? Dr. Zeigler is there?" Came Genji's accented voice. Angela took this moment to speak.

"Yes, Genji. How are you?" She asked, happy to be talking to her old patient once more.

Genji was just as happy as he replied. "I'm doing well, doctor. It's good to hear from you again."

"Likewise, and please, call me Angela." She replied back with a giggle.

"Of course, doctor." Humor was present in Genji's voice.

Angela rolled her eyes but kept her smile as she looked back to Winston. "When should I leave?"

"Whenever you're ready. Sorry for having to send you out so soon, by the way." Winston ended apologetically.

Dr. Zeigler just shook her head as she spoke with determination.

"Think nothing of it, Winston. There are innocents in danger, and one of them is a _child_. I wouldn't have been able to rest knowing I could do something to help them. I will head out as soon as I can." She then turned to the open comm. "I will be there soon, Genji. Keep up the good work." With a curt nod back at Winston, the good doctor turned around, retrieved her luggage, and headed out the door, each step taken with a purpose.

Winston smiled at the retreating doctor.

"She hasn't lost an ounce of that passion." Nostalgia echoed once more in his words.

"Before our shutdown, there were many who saw Dr. Zeigler as an angel. Her compassion and humanity saved as many lives as her medical skills." Genji chimed in once more.

"Indeed…anyway, she'll be there soon. In the meantime, you two keep close to that hit squad. I'll let you know of any development."

"Understood."

On that note, Winston terminated the call then sat down on his tire. His mind wandered. His family was coming back together. Old agents are reporting in, still wanting to make a difference in the world. It warmed his heart knowing that they had not given up on humanity, despite everything that has happened in the last six years since the fall of Overwatch. They were still willing to make the sacrifice to protect their people, and Winston was going to make sure that it means something.

* * *

 **Numbani Port**

Genji got off the comm. with Winston. He was happy to hear that Mercy had rejoined their cause. Before he could follow that train of thought any further, however, he sensed a steady gaze upon him. Turning around, he finds Hanzo with his usual straight expression, amusement barely noticeable in his eyes.

Genji stared back confused for a moment before asking.

"Nani?" **[What?]** He asked his stone-faced brother.

"Isha wa subarashī josei no yō ni kikoeru." **[The doctor sounds like an amazing woman.]** Replied the elder Shimada.

"Kanojo wa iru." **[She is.]**

"Kanojo wa tenshidatomo omowa remasu ka?" **[Do you also think she's an angel?]**

"Watashi ga yarimasu. Naze kiku nodesu ka?" **[I do. Why do you ask?]**

This time, Hanzo didn't reply. Genji just watched, completely befuddled, as a small smirk formed on the elder Shimada's expressionless visage before he walked back to the Talon occupied warehouse that they were investigating. The cyborg ninja followed. He did not get the point of Hanzo's questioning but decided not to pursue it in favor of focusing on his mission at hand.

' _Nan demo.'_ _**[Whatever.]**_

* * *

Echo-1 was nursing a headache. It's been a couple of days since their miss at the Inn and him and his team were laying low at their warehouse while they waited for Echo-9 to get a hit on the Michaels' location. He was leaning back in his chair, rubbing his temple, when Echo-8 called out from across the small building.

"I GOT A HIT!"

Echo-1 was on point instantaneously.

"Saddle up, people! We got little shits to shoot!"

* * *

 **Numbani Shopping District**

"Money in the bank."

"Is that right?"

"Yup!"

"What is it this time?"

"Some girl wanted to learn about robotics for some reason. Never said why."

"Ignorance is bliss, I guess,"

"Eh."

Jessie and Danny Michaels were walking around the shopping district, getting some fresh air. The motel they ducked into the day before was giving them cabin fever. The elder Michaels decided on the location under the logic of safety in numbers; they can hide in the crowd.

Jessie would have preferred to stay back in their room, but Danny was not the kind of kid to stay at home and do nothing, and Jessie didn't want to see his little brother get turned into a shut in, so here they were.

He also hadn't been able to come up with a plan to get themselves out of their predicament. He didn't want to risk the airport or train station out of fear that the assassins were casing the exit routes out of the city, waiting for the brothers to make an attempt so that they can catch and kill them. At the moment, leaving the city will be their last course of action.

He was currently considering calling in favors with people he knew back when he was enlisted.

They were walking around when Danny's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Hey Jess. Do you think we can buy a car?" Asked the ten-year-old.

"Why do _you_ wanna get a car?" Came Jessie's skeptical reply.

"I just think getting a car would be cool. We could modify it, and make it the coolest car in the city."

Jessie ruffled Danny's hair with a chuckle before speaking.

"I don't think blowing our savings on a car is a good idea, little buddy, especially if we're gonna build it up."

Danny returned a friendly shoulder bump. "Yeah…I know. I just wish we could."

"I know."

Danny's expression then turned serious.

"You think they'll find us here?" He asked in worry, looking up to his brother.

For his part, Jessie discreetly scanned their surroundings for any signs of trouble.

"I don't know, little buddy. If we stick to the crowd, we should be fine, though."

Danny faced ahead again, a look of apprehension still set in his youthful features. He swallowed once and took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his nerves.

Jessie couldn't blame him for being scared. He was, too. He was scared for Danny's welfare more than his own, and both brothers were scared of losing each other.

"C'mon, champ. Let's get some food."

* * *

"They should be in the area, sir." Reported Echo-8.

"Everybody, fan out. Our objectives are around here somewhere, and until confirmed visual, weapons cold and radio silence. Rendezvous here when the job is done. Not before. Do any of you speak English?" Asked Echo-1, much to the confusion of his new team.

"Yes, Sir!" Came the chorused reply of Echo unit.

Echo-1 seemed pleased. "Good. That means you understood me and my orders. That also means you'll understand this. There are currently two graves to be filled. For anyone of you who doesn't follow these specific orders, your own graves will be added to the lineup. So, don't disappoint me."

As expressionless as they may seem, Echo-1 could still feel the trepidation in his team. They did not want to disappoint him, which is good, because he was planning to follow through with his threat should they have messed up.

"Now. Hop to it, people, and bring me their heads!"

* * *

Jessie and Danny stood outside their restaurant of choice. They had just filled up on good food and the younger Michaels was typically happy as he let his stomach settle, both leaning against a wall. Meanwhile, Jessie was smoking one of his cigarettes. Halfway through their meal, his old soldier's instinct flared up and he could not help the worry that crawled into his very being. Something bad was about to happen. Not wanting to ruin his little brother's appetite, though, he kept things to himself.

Now, while Danny was regaining his composure, His panned his military-honed gaze around the surrounding street, or potential battlefield as he currently saw it. He kept up his nonchalant façade. If the enemy was near, Jessie did not want to tip them off.

A loud, heavy belch caught him by surprise. His eyes immediately snapped down to Danny, who bore the most satisfied expression a ten-year-old could have.

"Check, please." He sighed.

A small chuckle slipped out of the older Michaels, shaking his head at his brother's antics. When he looked up, though, his smile and demeanor dropped like a sack of bricks.

A man wearing the same coat as the hitmen from their apartment was walking towards them.

 _'They found us.'_ The statement ran through his head, setting his body and mind to overdrive.

Jessie quickly faked a yawn and stretched to hide the sudden frown he had. Knowing that the incoming killer had probably seen them, the ex-Lieutenant didn't want to give away that he had seen the killer as to try and gain the element of surprise.

Donning a relaxed expression once more, Jessie patted Danny's shoulder to get his attention.

"C'mon. Let's take a walk; work off the grub." Danny looked up at his guardian with smile and nodded, blissfully unaware of the sudden danger they were in.

As they began their walk, Jessie caught sight of the killer upping his pace as not to lose them. He reached into his jacket to check for his weapons.

 _'Knife, sidearm, rif-'_ He didn't have his rifle. Jessie's blood ran cold as he remembered leaving his new rifle, equipped with armor-piercing rounds, back at their motel room, thinking that a small excursion such as this did not necessitate him bringing it. It was also bulky and would have proven difficult to keep hidden.

With only his knife and pistol, he would need to get creative.

* * *

"Echo-12 confirming visual." The coated killer, spoke into a hidden mic in his collar.

"Acknowledged. Where are they?" Came the captain's voice.

"Basorun Avenue, Heading North."

"Converging on your location, Echo-12. Maintain visual but keep your distance. Remember, target has six confirmed kills. Don't slack or it becomes seven." Echo-1 ordered.

"Copy that. Maintaining cover."

"Good. We'll be there soon. Out."

* * *

Jessie needed to find a way to pacify the current threat. He cannot just turn around and open fire due to non-combatants, as well as the other hitmen that maybe nearby.

And, of course, the ever-present Danny.

For now, they kept walking. An open glass door gave Jessie a quick peek behind him. The hitman was not getting closer, but he was also not falling behind.

 _'Looking for a window. I can use that.'_ He thought as an idea began to formulate within his mind.

They were coming up to one of the many side streets in the district and Jessie spotted a dark alley where he can execute his now fully formed plan. They were on the cross-walk when Jessie spoke up, catching Danny's attention.

"Hey champ. Let's see what's down here." He spoke casually. Danny looked down the new street. He noted the lack of pedestrians, then looked up at his brother, confused.

"I don't think that's a good idea, big bro." He spoke hesitantly.

Jessie just shot him a confidant smile and said, "Trust me, little buddy."

Danny sighed. "Okay."

They turned down the side street. The Michaels' real destination was dead ahead.

 _'Showtime.'_

* * *

Echo-12 continued his pursuit of his objectives and he kept his distance like he was ordered to. He trusted that Echo-1 knew what he was doing when he gave the order keep a distance. He also had respect for the target's capabilities considering he managed to take the lives of six of his team members.

' _Your luck runs out tonight, asshole.'_ He smiled at the inevitable fate these two would be facing.

His smile dropped, though, when he saw the brothers take a left down a side street. He immediately keyed his comms.

"Be advised, targets now heading west down knight street."

"Maintain visual." Came Echo-1's voice.

Echo-12 continued the chase, wondering why the Michaels would turn down this road. There was nothing but apartments. What he did know was that there was a noticeable decrease in pedestrian traffic, which would not bode well for him. He begrudgingly gave his query some more space. He did not want to risk spooking them.

A minute later, Echo-12's confusion turned to worry as he watched the two brothers turn down a very dark alley. He could sense that something was not right. He activated his comms once more as he approached.

"Sir, the targets are headed down an alley way."

"Perfect. Follow them in, weapons hot. They're not getting away this time." Echo-1's voice was dripping with maniacal glee. Echo-12 began to question the captain's better judgement.

"10-4."

He soon rounded the corner and came to a dead stop. Alarm bells were going off in his head at the sight of the empty alley before him.

'This can't be good.'

He reached into his coat and produced his sidearm, the silenced pistol held in a death grip. After a careful scan of the area ahead of him, he began to slowly step into the darkness with his weapon held at the ready.

The deeper he in he went, the more anxious he became. He knows there was something here. He knows the brothers are still here. The darkened alleyway was relatively long. Even if the targets made a run for it at a dead sprint, Echo-12 would have seen them before they reached the other end. They did not, however. They just disappeared. Echo-12 was sure that they saw him now. They saw him and turned the tables against him; brought him here.

He fell for their trap.

He wanted to call for backup, but did not want to risk tipping off the targets, in case they could hear him.

A minute later and he was one third of the way through the darkness. Echo-12's light footfalls were the only sounds he could hear.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." He whispered to himself, eyes sharp, ears open, and muscles tense.

*Tinck*

Echo-12 spun around and quickly fired off two rounds at the source of the sound. His shots ended up hitting the side of a dumpster with a harmless *thunk*. Echo-12 released the breath he was holding when he saw that there was nothing there.

He sighed. 'Getting a little twitchy, tonight.' He thought to himself.

All thoughts came to a grinding halt, however, when he felt cold metal press into the back of his head, and with a muffled bang, Echo-12 would never think again.

* * *

"Man, he was twitchy."

Jessie did not waste time. He quickly searched the body for ammunition before checking Echo-12's gun. The gun was a similar model to Jessie's own but was equipped with an advanced safety system. The grip features a scanner that is programmed to the owner's hand print. If anyone else tried to use the gun, it will not fire and release the magazine. This means Jessie can't use the gun, and there was no time to have Danny attempt to hack it. He did however confiscate the silencer. The attachment was universal and would fit his own pistol.

All in all, he gained four magazines of armor-piercing rounds and the aforementioned silencer.

Pocketing his bounty, the older Michaels quickly dragged the dead Echo-12 towards the recently perforated dumpster, then proceeded to lift the stiff inside, being careful not to get any blood and grey matter on himself. After he shut the lid, satisfied that nobody will find the body or see the blood until daylight, he went to check on his little brother.

He found him right where he left him. The crate they hid behind only had three sides. It was deceiving because it was placed in such a way that to anyone approaching, it looked like a regular four-sided crate. This left a nice little gap that the two brothers wedged themselves into to hide. As for the distraction tactic, it was simply a small rock tossed overhead by Jessie.

Danny had his eyes closed and his fingers in his ears. When he felt someone tap his shoulder, he opened one eyelid to see who it was. At the sight of his brother, he opened the other and took his fingers out of his ears. He was still bewildered as to why his brother pulled them into this alley in the first place.

"What happened?" He asked.

Jessie nudged him towards the other end of the alley, walking behind him to make sure his ten-year-old little brother does not see the mess he made.

"Had to take out the trash." He answered in stride. "C'mon. We gotta get outta here."

Danny started to worry. "What? Why? Did they find us!?"

"One did, and when there's one, there's more." Jessie answered seriously.

"They really are roaches." Grumbled an irritated Danny.

"No kidding." Jessie sighed.

* * *

 **A.N.: My apologies for the huge delay, but I ended up hitting a bit of rut with my writing. When I finally got over it, I ended up writing this chapter over five times, and each time I did, it wouldn't come out write. Add college into the mix and it's just one big nasty pot of gumbo.**

 **But, praise the lord, I finally got the chapter done, and I am personally loving it, and I hope all of you do to.**

 **The next chapter will be a direct continuation to this one. It will also mark the end of the FIRST ARK.**

 **As before, all translations done through Google Translate.**

 **Cover art wanted.**


	5. ARC 1: Dead End

**A.N.: Before you all tear me apart, no the story is not dead. I promised myself that I would finish it, and I will. I know this chapter took forever, but believe you me, it was the hardest one to write. Add writer's block, college finals and RAMADAN to the mix, and I was screwed six ways to sunday. But somehow, I persevered, and wrote the longest, most content filled chapter yet. I really hope you enjoy it.  
**

 **P.S.: This story doesn't have an update schedule (if you haven't figured it out, already), and it never will. I'm trying to write the best story I can for all of you as well as myself. Schedules are just gonna make me rush it, and that never ends well.**

 **On that note, enjoy the chapter, and sorry again.**

* * *

 **Numbani Shopping District**

Jessie and Danny quickly reached the end of the alley and stepped out onto the street. They quickly crossed the road to try and put some distance between them and the alleyway behind them. They walked quickly but soon had to duck behind a parked car when a van swung into view with fervor. It raced down the road before coming to a halt a couple of yards from the two brothers. The vehicle hummed quietly as the rest of Echo unit could be seen disembarking the dark colored transporter.

Jessie could hear the loud captain call into what he figured to be the man's comm. piece for the now deceased Echo-12. He listened closely as he addressed his remaining team.

* * *

A disgruntled Echo-1 rubbed his forehead as he spoke to his awaiting troops.

"Echo-12 has gone silent. I can only assume that the targets got to him. _That_ is irritating. Why? Because the targets are making a mockery of us. My pride will not stand for that. The rest of you are proving to be quite useless. That isn't helping. So. If a death threat isn't enough incentive for you candy-asses, then how about this? First person to bring me their heads gets a very special something in their paycheck. Got it? Good."

* * *

"This is _not_ good." Whispered Jessie.

"I can see seven of them." Danny whispered back.

"Me to. Now I wish we did get a car." Jessie grumbled quietly.

That got Danny's brain working.

"Jessie! I got an idea!" Danny quickly and quietly got his laptop back out and got to work. Jessie had no idea what his brother was up to, but he kept an eye out nonetheless while the computer genius did his thing. The child prodigy typed furiously but quietly as he began hacking the surrounding cars.

Regular, everyday cars were easier to hack than the truck the Michaels used to escape from their apartment building. This is because a container truck would normally be carrying valuables, thus needing the extra tight security system.

As Danny hacked away, two more men in the same black coat appeared from the alleyway the Michaels came from. They then jogged over to the rest of their team.

Jessie listened.

* * *

Echo-1 turned to the two operatives they had dropped off on Knight street. They were ordered to sweep the alley.

"Report."

"We found Echo-12, sir. Dead. Back of the head then dumped out of sight." Echo-13 spoke.

"We found prints leading to this side, but they fade out before hitting the street." Finished Echo-11.

Echo-1 stared at the two, wide-eyed. He then scanned the area.

 _'They're still here.'_ Echo-1 realized, lips pursed.

"Fan out, weapons hot. The targets are still in the area." He ordered, a razor's edge to his tone.

* * *

"Oh crap. Danny get ready to run!" Jessie whispered harshly to his little brother. He pulled out his own pistol, attached the silencer, and loaded in a magazine of newly acquired armor-piercing rounds. He watched as eight of the nine hired killers began to slowly spread out, weapons drawn and ready.

Danny, in the meantime, made no indication that he had heard his older sibling. He was completely focused on the task he set out to do.

Jessie looked at him dumbfounded. He was about to yank the laptop out of his hands, but a final keystroke set the boy genius's plan into motion.

Everybody in the immediate area jumped in utter disbelief when every parked car surrounding Echo unit started up. The hit squad quickly regrouped. Surprised and confused, they did not know how to respond to the situation. The same could be said for Jessie. The elder Michaels fell backwards in shock when the car they were hiding behind started up as well.

Danny tapped his shoulder to gain his attention. When Jessie looked his way, he lifted a finger to his lips, indicating to his older brother to stay quiet. The young boy then quietly made his way down the street and away from Echo-unit, using the idling cars as cover with a confused Jessie following close by.

 _'_ _The hell are you up to, Brainiac?'_

* * *

"What the flying fuck is going on?" Echo-1 asked no one in particular. He watched the cars idly hovering.

Echo-8 was just as stumped, however, his attention switched from the supernatural automobiles to his hand-held when the little device began beeping. What he saw when he flicked on the device made him quickly go to show Echo-1.

"Sir!" Echo-8 called out, gaining his captain's attention. "Look." He said, handing him the hand-held.

Echo-1 furrowed his brows at what he was looking before the shot up when he _realized_ what he was looking at. "Echo-8, is this…" He began.

"Another hit!" Echo-8 finished. "Sir, your patience is about to pay off. The targets are here! And I mean within-an-eighth-mile here!"

Echo-1 looked to Echo-8. "Are you sure?" He asked as seriously as he looked.

"I'd bet my left nut on it, sir. They hacked the cars, a distraction, but it allowed me another hit! Now, we're live scanning. Look." Echo-8 pointed at the Hand-Held's screen. "We're already locking on. The targets are very close by. If they stay in range long enough, we'll have a lock on their computer, and know exactly where they'll be at any given second."

Echo-1 grabbed both sides of Echo-8's head.

"If I wasn't such a lady's man, I'd kiss you! Excellent work, Echo-8!" He said, ecstatic at the sudden good fortune. He turned to the others. "Slow sweep, people. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't discount anything. Not even a squirrel in a tree."

* * *

The Michaels managed to sneak over to the end of a line of parked cars.

"Now what?" Jessie asked his little brother, quietly. He was expecting this plan to go further than just running cars.

"I hacked all the cars, but I also unlocked this one." Danny said, placing a hand on a 2-door off-roader. "I'll distract the bozos with the car behind them, and when they're not looking we get in this thing and get out of here. Good plan, right?" He finished, looking to his older sibling expectantly.

Jessie smiled at his prodigal little brother. "Heck yeah It is! I knew that brain of yours was more than just paperweight." He said, ruffling Danny's hair.

"Okay, okay. Quit it." The younger Michaels said. amused, as he dodged his brother's attack on his head. He then grabbed his laptop once more and proceeded with the next step of his plan.

* * *

Echo unit was overloading with anticipation; adrenaline coursing through each and every one of them. They wondered what was in store as they proceeded to sweep the area, knowing fully well what the irksome objectives were capable of, all things considered. Everyone expected a simple in-and-out job. None of them expected this to take a week, and seven casualties from their own side.

They especially weren't expecting their targets to be in the sports coupe slowly trying to pull away behind them, but that's what they thought when they heard it move. It was also no surprise to anyone that they rained bullet-hell on the sleek machine.

* * *

As Jessie and Danny climbed into their waiting vehicle, the elder Michaels spared a glance back.

 _'_ _Am I glad that's not us. Geez.'_ He thought as he witnessed the coupe get turned into nothing more than scrap metal.

Once inside, the two brothers strapped themselves in for a quick getaway. However, when they were both secured in their respective seats, Jessie risked a peek at the passenger side door mirror. When he saw Echo Unit looking and pointing their way, he wasted no time shifting into drive and mashing the gas pedal.

* * *

Echo-8 watched as the rest of Echo Unit open-fired on the sports car, hoping to finally kill the targets they had been chasing for over six days. The sudden beeping of his hand-held, though, had him grabbing for it like a lifeline. The wrecked car ended up as the last thing on his mind; the device telling him everything he wanted to know.

By now, the signal scanner had plenty of time to do its job and provide them with exactly what they needed to gain the upper hand on their objectives. They finally have a lock on the targets' location, given to them on a detailed map of Numbani, and it wasn't in the now demolished sports car.

The targets were in the other direction.

"SIR!" Echo-8 shouted towards Echo-1, tone laced with urgency.

Echo-1 snapped his neck towards Echo-8, an expression of worry on the captain's face. Echo-8 quickly pointed in the opposite direction.

"THEIR NOT IN THAT CAR! THEY'RE DOWN THERE!"

No sooner had Echo Unit looked in said direction did the 2-door SUV at the other end of the street jump into motion, making a mad dash for the main streets.

Echo-1 wasted no time getting in the driver's seat of their van. "EVERYONE IN THE VAN, NOW! ECHO-8, SHOTGUN!"

The disgruntled Echo Unit piled into the transporter with Echo-8 taking up the passenger seat. He would be navigating while the angry captain drove.

* * *

"Whoa!"

"Hold on, champ!"

The single cab SUV swung wildly as Jessie maneuvered the vehicle around a street corner, nearly side-swiping a taxi. He then followed up with a right-hander down another side street, jumping the curb. Jessie wanted to make the path they were taking as complicated and unpredictable as he can to try and lose their tail.

Danny turned in his seat and peeked out the rear window, trying to spot Echo Unit's van. Failing to spot their pursuers, he informed his older brother.

"I don't see them, bro."

"Doesn't mean they're not still chasing us." Jessie said matter-of-factly.

"Then punch it, man! WHOA!" Danny was thrown back around in his seat when Jessie slammed on the brakes and swerved around a careless garbage truck pulling onto the road.

"You don't see me drivin' here!?" Yelled at the distant truck blaring it's horn at the reckless SUV.

* * *

A collective "WHOA!" came from the back of the van as Echo-1 cleared the crest of a small hill, the whole vehicle catching a little air. He drove like his life (and sanity) depended on it, and considering the people he worked for, it probably was.

Echo-8 was navigating from the passenger seat using the map displayed on his hand held, the moving red mark representing their targets.

"Turn right up here!" The tech called out. Echo-1 braked hard as he turned into the corner, bringing the back end out to make the turn. A blip of the throttle stabilized the maneuver and prevented the van from spinning.

"Nice move, cap!" Echo-11 called from the back, voicing his approval with the rest of the team at the captain's driving.

"Used to run dirt track, what can I say!" He called back to them.

"Next left, boss!"

* * *

"Where are we going!?"

"Downtown."

"What? Why?"

"I honestly don't know. We're flying by the seat of our pants here, little buddy."

By now, the Michaels were well out of the shopping district. After flying down numerous roads and side streets, they slowed down to a more acceptable speed, sure in the fact that they had lost their pursuers. They were on their way to Numbani's central business district, though for what reason, neither sibling knew. All Jessie knew was that he'd be more comfortable with a whole district between them and Echo Unit.

After a silent moment, Jessie spoke up again.

"We're gonna have to ditch this truck soon. Those goons are probably still looking for it."

Danny shrugged. "Then let's stop by a dealership. I'll hack the database and get us a five-finger discount on a new car." He said nonchalantly.

Jessie shook his head before speaking. "As much as I like the sound of getting a free car, I don't think it's a good idea just yet… or legal." He pointed out.

* * *

Back with Echo Unit…

"They've slowed down sir." Echo-8 informed the captain.

"Excellent! Where are they?" Asked Echo-1, still driving at a brisk pace as he navigated the Numbani streets in pursuit of the Michaels brothers.

"Dahlia Boulevard, heading downtown. If we hurry, we can catch up to them before they get there." The tech explained, looking up from the hand-held as he spoke to Echo-1.

The captain wasted no time putting his foot down.

"Then there's no time to lose. Where to, Echo-8?"

Echo-8 looked back to his hand-held.

"Keep it pinned for three more blocks then hook a right."

* * *

The two brothers have been driving for a good five minutes since deciding on their destination, and soon, downtown Numbani spanned out before them as they approached.

"Alright. We're almost there, little buddy." Jessie said, breaking the silence that had fallen in the cabin of the 2-door SUV.

Danny smiled at the sight of the district outside the front windshield.

"Nice!"

However, just as they crossed another intersection…

* * *

Echo Unit were fast approaching downtown and ahead of them was another intersection. Echo-8's eyes were glued to the small screen in his hand with rapt attention, his gaze locked on the red mark approaching the stop lights from the right.

"where are they, eight?" Asked Echo-1, keeping his eyes on the road.

Echo-8 kept his sights on the map as he replied. The red and blue marks, which represented the targets and Echo Unit respectively, were both getting closer and closer to the intersection.

"We should see them…" Closer. "…right…" Closer. "…about…" Closer. "…NOW!" Echo-8 immediately pointed straight out the front windshield at the crossroad just as the Michaels flew by in their SUV.

No sooner had he seen them did Echo-1 crank the steering wheel hard to the left. The van swung wildly into the turn with enough force that it began to tip over. The whole team held on for dear life, shouts of surprise, fear and excitement heard all over the van. Echo-1 worked to keep the vehicle from flipping, a look of raging determination on his face.

"If you fucking flip on me, I'll blow your sorry aluminum ass out of this galaxy!" The captain swore the threat under his breath as he fought for control of the transport van.

After what felt like an eternity stuck on the edge of rolling, the van soon leaned back over on all four thrusters. Everyone released a breath of relief but did not relinquish their hold on whatever they were bracing themselves with. They refuse to do so until the van comes to a complete stop.

"Ha! Good girl! Now, let's get those sons of bitches!" Echo-1 shouted in glee as he pushed the van faster, determined to catch his prey.

Echo-Unit tightened their grip even further.

The van shot forward, getting nearer and nearer to the small off-roader ahead…

…until…

"Knock, knock!"

* * *

"Whoa!"

"Dammit!"

The whole car jumped forward all of a sudden, flinging the two passengers around, in their seatbelts. Jessie managed to maintain control of their vehicle, quickly tossing his gaze at the rearview. His blood ran cold at the sight of the Echo Unit captain smiling and waving at him through the mirror.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jessie depressed the accelerator pedal into the rubberized mats as he tried to speed away from the killers' van behind him.

Danny peeked back and gasped at the sight of the pursuing black van.

"I thought we lost them! How the heck did they find us!?" The ten-year-old asked, exacerbated to an extreme extent.

"Their freakin' blood hounds, I swear! UGH!" The SUV lurched a second time as the van behind them shunted them again. Though not as hard as the initial hit, it was still enough to cause discomfort and threaten the stability of the small off-roader.

"Hold on!" Danny barely heard his brother before the truck swung a right down an adjacent roadway as Jessie attempted to find some space between them and Echo Unit.

The two vehicles raced down the streets at breakneck speeds, locked in an epic, high stakes game of cat and mouse. Traffic and pedestrians proved to be constant obstacles to avoid. Jessie attempted to use the other cars on the street to his advantage; trying to eke out what little breathing space he can gain on the killers behind him. However, whenever he opened up a gap, Echo-1 quickly closed it down. The captain was laying the pressure on thick, and the older Michaels was feeling the strain.

"How in the name of all that is holy is a van full of dead weight keeping up with us!?" Danny asked, frustration clear in his tone of voice.

"Good question!" Replied jessie, as he took a moment to check his door mirrors, catching a glimpse of the chasing van's thrusters. He did not like what he saw.

"Well ain't that a kick in the head!" Grunted Jessie.

"What? What'd you see!?" Asked Danny.

"They got Cerdic Dumptrucks on that van!"

"Cerdic what?"

"Cerdic's a motor company. For a while, they made a dumptruck called the Drude that was smaller than the average hauler and had a wicked set of thrusters on it. Those thrusters are a popular mod for rides close to or the same size class as that van behind us. No wonder they're sticking close!"

"Well THAT'S JUST PEACHY! Whoa!" Another bump courtesy of the modified van behind them.

* * *

"HA! How'd you like that, you little fucks!?" Echo-1 was on the war path. He was putting serious pressure on the 2-door ahead of them, it's rear end mangled beyond repair by his van's brush guard.

The rest of Echo Unit weren't enjoying themselves as much as their captain was. The rough ride, combined with the jolts from ramming the targets' SUV was making some of them nauseous.

Echo-1 could hear the discontented grumbles of his team, looking back at them in the rearview mirror.

"Oh, grow some balls, you crybabies!" He admonished.

Echo-8, who was still in the passenger seat hold on to the overhead grab handle, decided that now would be a good time to bring the captain back to reality. He swallowed his dinner before speaking, not wanting to throw up as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Uh, sir?" He began.

"Yes, Echo-8?" Echo-1 replied, irked at being distracted from his fun.

"With all due respect, I like toying with my targets by ramming them repeatedly at highspeed through city streets as much as the next hired killer, but don't you think it's time we actually killed these pains in our asses and finally be done with this contract?" Echo-8 pointed out to Echo-1.

Echo-1 sighed. "Yeah, you're right." He grumbled in resignation, before cheering up, again. "But, I'm _gonna_ toss their corpses out in the wild to be mauled by lions, are we clear?"

"Crystal, captain."

"Good. Now, let's end this little game."

The chase had lead onto an overpass, in the middle of the district. Echo-1 continued pressuring the car in front of him as he looked for the perfect moment to effectively bring the chase to a conclusion. He found it when he saw the overpass curve to the right ahead of them, and the outer lane was closed due to that section of barrier having been torn down due to maintenance.

Echo-1 smiled.

"Bingo."

* * *

Jessie drove furiously. The large vehicle behind him refused to let off the heat, constantly ramming them, trying to force them to crash. He used everything he learned in the military to try and evade the transporter. Unfortunately, the driver was good. Every time Jessie tried something, the Echo Unit van counters and gains back up.

Up ahead, a sign indicated at road construction. Jessie cursed their luck as he saw traffic from the outside lane merge into the center, condensing the two open lanes.

Danny, as eagle-eyed as ever, saw the oncoming construction as well, and he too wasn't pleased.

"Not good." He half-whimpered, tightening his grip on the door and seatbelt.

"Hang in there, little buddy." Jessie sighed.

After weaving around a few more honking motorists, Jessie found himself having to brake due to their reaching the construction. He did it as gently as possible, trying to minimize his speed loss as to avoid the still-pursuing Echo Unit van.

 _'_ _At least they have to slow down even more if they wanna make the turn in that wha…'_

*CRASH*

Jessie and Danny's eyes went wide at what had just happened. The off-roader launched forward even faster than it had been before. The force of this ram forced it to straighten out from the turn it was making. Inside, the brothers began to panic. A section of the outer barrier had been torn down due to wear and was being rebuilt. Unfortunately, that meant there was a giant hole in it and the Michaels were hurtling towards it at max velocity.

* * *

Echo-1 watched in murderous glee as he brought the van to a complete stop, it's momentum lost from the ram.

"Sayonara, assholes."

* * *

Jessie buried both feet into the brake pedal, but it was for naught. The vehicle was moving too fast in too short a distance to be able to stop. The unstoppable mass of metal smashed through the plastic dividers and cones marking off the construction zone. The crew on duty scattered for their lives as to not get run over. Too soon, though, did they reach the hole.

"JESSIIIIE!"

"HOLD ON, DANNY!"

Everyone watched in utter shock as the SUV flew off the overpass towards the street at the bottom. The drop was a good 36-40 feet. Not an inconsiderable distance by any stretch, especially for a heavy SUV falling from that height.

For the two brothers, time had slowed down. The could see the world outside the windshield rising higher and higher. They could feel their stomachs rise higher and higher as they attempted to reach their seized lungs. Their hearts beat a frantic rhythm as they attempted to supply blood to the malfunctioning brains.

Because the off-roader was nose-heavy, the whole thing began to tilt forward in mid-air, and soon the occupants found themselves staring at their doom; the street below. How unpredictable fate can be, however, for a semi-truck happened to be passing underneath the falling 2-door, hauling a full-size shipping container to its destination. The top of said container was a good 20 feet off the ground, half the distance between the street and the overpass. Jessie and Danny watched the passing truck, not daring to even think of what might happen.

What did happen was that the falling vehicle nearly missed the truck but the front bumper caught the edge of the container's back half. This caused two more things to happen. It caused a pivot effect, which fully flipped the SUV upside down, and it also set off the airbags which, consequentially, proved to be too much shock for the poor Michaels, as their lives flashed before their eyes.

Danny saw memories of him and Jessie spending a lot of quality time together, of Mama Lumusi and her amazing home cooking, of when he passed all his secondary level education and how proud he made his brother, and he also remembered meeting Tracer and Winston and how Jessie helped them stop the bad guys.

Jessie, on the other hand, also saw memories of him and Danny, but he also saw memories of his parents; of when his father came home from deployment, of when he was promoted to Lt. Commander, of when his mother was in her third trimester and she let him feel his baby brother kicking in the womb, and of when she introduced him to little baby Danny.

No one would ever know this, not even Jessie, but in that one moment, a single tear spilled out from behind his eye lids.

Both brothers blacked out, after.

The off-roader soon hit the ground. It landed on the back half of the roof, completely collapsing that section and absorbing most of the impact, leaving the front seat area intact. There was still forward momentum so the wrecked SUV skidded along until it hit a lamp post. A few cars had to swerve to avoid crashing into the twisted metal frame.

* * *

Echo-1 took a deep breath.

"That. Was. Satisfying." He said, a smile on his face indicating to his words.

Echo-14 was leaning forward between the front seats.

"Think they're dead?" He asked.

Echo-8 shrugged and answered.

"I hope so. They've been a pain in the ass since we got here."

Echo-1 nodded his agreement before shifting the largely intact van back into drive.

"Only one way to find out. Let's go. The lions are getting hungry."

Echo-8 just grunted. "I need a cold one."

The rest of Echo Unit Grunted their agreement with that statement.

* * *

The world slowly blurred back into view for the two Michaels as they began to regain consciousness. The first thing they noticed was the feeling of hands all over them. This was immediately followed by a short sensation of being lowered. Then they noticed the world spin around, suddenly making visual sense. That was when their minds caught up and they were fully awake. They were being pulled out of the destroyed SUV by some of Numbani's citizens.

Danny started to stand with the assistance of an Omnic and a teenage girl.

"Are you okay, child?" Asked the Omnic, tone laced with concern.

Danny rubbed his temple as he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied with a weak smile, which grew stronger when the girl handed him his backpack carrying his laptop and gear. "Thank you."

"Of course. Be careful, now. You just survived a nasty accident. You're lucky to even be alive." Stated the teenager, with a gentle expression.

It was true. Aside from some minor bumps and scrapes, the two brothers came out relatively unharmed.

"Lucky is right, but that wasn't an accident." Came Jessie's voice. Danny looked to his brother, catching him get hoisted back onto his feet with the help of a dark-skinned man.

The Omnic turned to Jessie, confused.

"What do you mean? Did someone push you off the overpass?" He asked.

Jessie scoffed before replying.

"Battering rammed, more like." That's when his eyes caught the familiar sight of the Echo Unit van approaching slowly.

"Oh…"

* * *

"Shit! They're still alive!" Echo-1 swore at the sight of his targets, alive and well.

"You've got to be kidding me." Echo-8 said incredulously.

Once again, to the rest of Echo Unit's dismay, the captain pinned the gas pedal as he, once again, chased down the targets.

"You are NOT going to survive the night! DO YOU HEAR ME!?" Shouted Echo-1.

* * *

"EVERYBODY, GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Jessie yelled at the crowd, emphasizing his point by producing his pistol from his jacket's inner pocket. The crowed jumped in shock at the sight of the firearm.

"DANNY! GO!"

Danny didn't need to be told twice as he broke out into a dead sprint down the road, away from the fast approaching Echo Unit, with Jessie hot on his heels. They didn't dare look back. They could hear the van behind them, spurring them on in their mad dash for survival.

Danny soon risked looking behind them when the van sounded a little too close for comfort. His eyes widened and quickly grabbed his older brother's wrist and yanked him as hard as he could down yet another alleyway. Jessie nearly lost his balance at the sudden change in direction, but then found out why when he suddenly felt the rush of displaced air from the pursuing van as it nearly ran him over.

 _'_ _Holy shit, that was too close.'_ Thought Jessie as he continued running down the alley, right behind his baby brother.

They soon had to stop running as the alleyway ended in a T shaped dead end. Their hopes began to plummet until the older Michaels spotted a blue door. He got Danny's attention and ran towards the door. He flung himself shoulder first at it in an attempt to break it open, but ended up bouncing back off the solid barrier.

"Oh no." Came Danny's crestfallen voice. He pointed at an electronic lock holding the door closed, it's glaring red light indicating its locked status to the two boys.

Jessie pounded his fist on it once in anger before two bullets impacted the door, causing him to jump back and grab Danny's shoulder before pulling him behind the cover of a corner.

"Jessie and Danny Michaels!" Came a shout from down the alleyway. "You're surrounded! Give up, and we might just let you live!" He finished.

Jessie had back against the wall and pistol at the ready.

"Who the hell are you, and what do you want with us!?" He called back.

Echo-1 smiled as he replied. "Just call me Echo-1! As for what I want? Well, when we first got here a couple of weeks ago, it was to put a bullet in both your heads, then grab a beer. But now? Now I just want to mutilate the two of you and feed you to the lions for all the trouble you've caused me!"

Danny gasped in fear. Jessie placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze before calling out again.

"Why do you wanna kill us? What did we ever do to you?"

Echo-1 chuckled before answering nonchalantly.

"Oh, to us? Nothing. Nothing what so ever." He teased. "But to my boss, though? Well that's a different story."

"I got nothing but time." Jessie was looking forward towards a portion of wall that was in line with the alley's entrance. It was illuminated from what Jessie assumed to be the van's headlights. Jessie counted the shadows of the hitmen that were being projected onto that wall. _'Nine. Four are missing.'_

"Heh, sure you do. Does the Numbani Heritage Museum ring any bells?"

Jessie grunted as Echo-1 confirmed his theory.

Echo-1's smile grew at the silence.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Danny spoke up next.

"How do you keep finding us?" He asked the question that had been trapped in his head since the market district.

Echo-1 scoffed as he replied.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He teased, sharing a smirk with Echo-8 who returned it. "But, like the dogs of war that we are, we just followed your scent." He finished, cryptically.

Danny raked his brain, trying to understand what the captain meant by 'followed your scent'. Jessie just checked his ammo.

Echo-1 was thoroughly enjoying the situation, chuckling like an idiot as he spoke once more.

"Heh. Oh man. This is great, you know? Everything's come full circle. Me blocking the only exit out of this alley, and you two trapped in a corner with no way out and no hope, just as nature intended. Warms my stone heart, I tell ya, knowing I've finally got you right where I want you, and that I can kill you whenever I want."

Jessie was only half listening as he tried to find a way out of their current predicament. He looked back to the locked door.

 _'_ _It's our only chance.'_ He thought as an idea came to mind. He tapped his brother's shoulder to gain his attention before pointing towards the locked door. Danny was quick on the take, silently acknowledging his older brother's request to hack the electronic lock. He pulled out his laptop and got to hacking.

Jessie returned his attention to the ornery captain.

"Guess we were a real rundown, huh?" He asked trying to buy Danny time to access the door lock.

"Oh, you have NO idea. From Rhode's to the Delorissa inn to the Shopping district… you really made us work for it. Seriously, I gotta hand it to you little shits. Respect where it's due. You were a tough job."

Echo-1 felt someone tap his shoulder, turning to find Echo-8. He showed him the hand-held which placed a sly grin on the captain's face.

Jessie spoke.

"Glad to know we gave you a run for your money."

"Yeah, you did. You were also sneaky, you know." Echo-1 said.

"Is that right?" Jessie asked sarcastically.

"It is. You had to be to escape us back at the apartments. Also, you have to be sneaky to try and distract us while your brother hacks that door over there."

Jessie and Danny froze. They looked to each other in absolute shock.

 _'_ _How the hell did he find out!?'_ That question ran through both their heads.

Echo-1 had a giant shit-eating grin plastered on his face at the silence that followed.

"Surprised?"

Jessie hesitated. "H-how did you…?"

"We can smell you, kid."

 _'_ _Howhowhowhowhow HOW!? How'd they find out!?'_

Danny was tearing his hair out when it hit him. He was staring at the reason the whole time.

"Hey Jerks!" Danny spoke up, catching his older brother by surprise.

Echo-1 raised an eyebrow.

"Whatta you want, kid?"

"You guys traced my computer, didn't you?" He asked. Jessie's eyebrows shot up at what he heard.

Echo-1 just laughed, while Echo-8 answered with a smug look of his own.

"Yeah, that's right, kid. I traced your signal from your little elevator trick back at your apartment building. Now, I've locked in a strong connection, and you ain't shakin' it that easily."

This just made Danny mad. He turned back to his laptop, planning on teaching Echo Unit a lesson.

"You think so, huh?" He asked as he typed furiously.

"I _know_ so, buddy." Echo-8 answered confidently.

Jessie watched as a little mischievous smile made its way onto Danny's expression, while the underage hacker continued talking.

"Well, let me tell you script kiddies something. The thing about a strong connection is that, even though you're connected to me, it also means I'm connected to you!" He finished before hitting one last button and sending the digital invaders a nasty little surprise.

Echo-8's smile fell when warning tones started sounding from his hand-held and the consoles inside the van. Quickly grabbing his hand-held, he watched helplessly as the whole system crashed irreparably.

"What's our status, Echo-8?" Asked a frantic Echo-1.

"Hosed." The tech put it simply.

This left the captain seething.

"Aww. Did I bweak your wittle toys?" Came Danny's teasing voice. Jessie could help snickering at Echo Unit's expense.

Echo-1 was, once again, to his team's dismay, angry.

"Alright, you little shit. If that's the way it's gonna be, so be it."

The Michaels' victory was short lived at this declaration.

"Weapons hot, Boys!" The order was followed by the sounds of multiple assault rifles being loaded and cocked.

Danny's heartbeat sped up to the point of hyperventilation, while adrenaline saturated Jessie's blood as he brought up his pistol and stood between Danny and the corner in which the armed soldiers would be coming from. They were out of time, and with the access door still electronically locked, they had no avenue of escape. The odds were against the two brothers, and they both knew it.

"Jessie…"

"I know, champ, I know."

Echo-1 stared at the corner his targets were hiding behind with contempt. He had enough of them, and he wanted them dead more than anything. Behind him the four members of his team that he brought along into the alley stood at the ready, weapons trained at the same corner. The five of them could smell their target's fear.

 _'_ _Say goodbye, you little fucks.'_ He was about to give the order to attack.

But then…

A sudden chill had run up the spines of everyone in the alleyway, including the Michaels, arresting all movement. The sudden change in the atmosphere left everyone bewildered and a touch paranoid. None of them have ever felt anything even remotely close to this sensation, before. It was surreal. It was like a powerful presence had joined them.

No one dared to even speak.

"SIR!" Echo-10's voice suddenly broke the eerie silence.

Echo-1 looked back to Echo-10 only to see him pointing his gun back at the mouth of the alleyway. His eyes followed his aim until they caught site of what spooked the soldier.

A figure stood in front of Echo Unit's van.

The captain turned towards the new arrival with a critical look. The rest of his team joined him, aiming their weapons at the mysterious figure. Even Jessie and Danny couldn't help but peek around the corner to see what was going on.

The dim lighting of the alley hid their features, but from the shape of their body, Echo Unit deduced he was male.

Echo-1 took the initiative and called out.

"Who the flying fornicating fuck are you?" He asked the mysterious man, but received no answer.

"Sir, look at what he's carrying." Echo-9 whispered to his captain.

Echo-1's gaze lowered to the man's hands.

 _'_ _...Is that a bow?'_ He asked himself.

"I repeat: who are you, and what do you want?" The captain asked again.

This time the stranger spoke, but his words left them all even more confused.

"Nagaiai, tōzoku wa mujitsu no kyōdai no hitokumi o kōgeki shita." The man said in a rough voice.

Echo-1 was stumped as he leaned towards an even more confused Echo-8.

"The hell did he say?" He asked.

"I don't know. I…I think he's speaking Japanese."

"Great."

The mysterious man continued to speak.

"Karera wa kōfuku shinakereba karera o korosu to odoshita."

Echo Unit looked to each other before looking back at the stranger, warily.

"Shikashi, tōzoku wa kyōdai ga doragon girudo no naka ni iru koto o shiranakatta."

Everyone was getting a bad feeling about this.

"Kyōdai ga kyohi shitara, tōzoku wa kōgeki shiyou to shita."

The man reached his free hand over his shoulder and pulled out an arrow.

The already paranoid Echo Unit jumped, tightening their grips on their weapons.

"Stand down!" Echo-1 ordered the stranger, who made no indication of having listened.

He readied the arrow on the bow as he continued speaking, his tone taking on a dangerous edge.

"Shikashi, ani wa fumikonde itta..."

What happened next, none of them saw coming. Not Echo Unit, or the Michaels.

The man's shoulder ignited blue as he pulled back the arrow, charging up a shot. His final words echoed from the sheer power being summoned forth.

"Ryū ga waga teki o kurau!"

The charged arrow was released. It flew straight and true before, to the awe and horror of those present, it burst into a magnificent sight.

Two Japanese Dragons, long and serpentine flew towards the targeted Echo Unit, each formed of the flaming blue energy and roaring in righteous fury. Echo Unit opened fire on the magnificent beasts, but it was a futile effort as the rounds simply phased through them.

Jessie and Danny watched on in shock from the safety of their corner as Echo-1 and Echo-8 dove out of the dragons' trajectories. Echo-9, Echo-10 and Echo-11, were not so lucky. Their screams of pain echoed within the confines of the alleyway as the dragons phased through them, alighting their bodies in unbearable pain.

Jessie pulled Danny and himself back behind the wall. Their eyes were moon-sized as the dragons flew harmlessly by them before beginning to dematerialize before their eyes.

Only a single thought processed through the elder Michaels' head.

 _'_ _Fuck this noise!'_

Before even the dragons completely disappeared, Jessie had aimed his pistol towards the access door that had nearly been their bane and unloaded three of the armor-piercing rounds directly into the damning electronic lock, the modified ammunition completely obliterating the security measure.

Quickly grabbing his brother's wrist, the two made a mad dash to and through the now-opened door. They didn't slow down for a minute as they ran through a back room, and then bursting into a storefront. Jessie performed a dash vault over the waist-high counter while Danny took advantage of his size and power slid on his knees under the employee flap before hopping back on his feet, staying close to his brother. Running towards the front door, the two caught sight of some customers on the floor cowering, possibly for the gunfire behind the store.

Things didn't get better for the Michaels when the made it back street side. Not ten seconds of stopping to catch their breaths did the glass of the public holo-phone to their left and the planter to their right explode in a hail of bullets as the sounds of gunfire erupted in the air, causing pedestrians to scream and scatter in fear.

Echos 13,14,15 and 16 had flanked the Michaels by going around the alley, with the plan to cut them off at the other side. Also, by opening fire in public, it was clear that the brothers had pushed them to the point where they threw subtlety out the window. Their only goal was to end their lives.

Jessie ducked and pulled Danny down with him. They then bolted out into traffic, keeping their heads covered as they did. Jessie and Danny ignored the blaring horns of the cars that nearly hit them. The cars themselves were weaving to avoid hitting the, sometimes colliding with other cars in the process. Some nearly succeeded in wiping them out had the brothers not back-pedaled in time.

The four shooters didn't waste time as they gave chase, running and gunning as they followed their targets across the street.

Meanwhile the two boys made it through the labyrinth of oncoming traffic no worse for wear but knew danger was right behind them. They ran down the street, while behind them, the gunmen fired off rounds down range at the brothers. With pulse rounds whizzing closely past them, the brother hooked a left into an open parking lot which, to their dismay was devoid of even a single automobile, and no cars meant no cover.

So, they made a break for the far side, however, the strain on little Danny from all the running began to show. Two thirds of the way across, the ten-year-old tripped over himself.

"DANNY!" Fear struck the older Michaels heart seeing his brother hit the ground. He quickly turned around to help, but as he reached out, one of the gunmen, Echo-14, caught up. He ran in a quarter of the way before stopping and lining up a shot.

Seeing no other choice, Jessie pulled Danny into his arms before turning his back to Echo-14, using his body to shield his baby brother from harm. Danny's heart skipped a beat upon realizing his elder brother's intentions.

"Jessie, don…"

*BANG*

For the second time that night, time seemed to slow down for the Michaels. Knowing his time was at an end, Jessie tightened his embrace on his beloved baby brother as he waited for the round to hit. He had hoped, prayed that they would both make it out of this mess alive, but it was not to be.

As he held his little brother, single thought ran through Jessie's head.

 _'_ _I'm sorry, little buddy.'_

Danny returned his loving older brother's embrace, his eyes welling with tears at the thought of losing the only person he had in this world. The only person that mattered to him. Danny never knew a life without Jessie. The thought of it alone terrified him, and now his fears were about to be made true.

A single thought ran through his mind, as well.

 _'_ _I love you, big bro.'_

…

…

…

…

"Ryūjin no ken o kurae!"

Another echoing, powerful yell.

Neither of the two brothers knew what happened. All they knew was that another dragon had appeared, identical to the previous two save for being green, and that Echo-14 was now lying dead with a gunshot wound in his head. Seconds felt like hours for them as they dared not breath. The constant shocks and surprises of the night began to weigh on their minds. They wondered whether or not they were hallucinating.

Fate, however, was far from finished with the Michaels. Their eyes widened to the point the muscles began to strain, for once the energy dragon dematerialized, standing before them was a cyborg ninja.

Due to the dim lighting of the parking lot few details could be seen of the ninja for Jessie do discern. There were only small spots covering his body that glowed green. Danny's jaw, on the other, had nearly hit the pavement.

"I don't believe it…" He whispered to himself, his notorious inner fanboy picking up steam.

By now, the other three members of Echo Unit were in the lot and had opened fire on the new arrival and the Michaels.

"RUN!" It took Jessie a moment to realize what the cyborg said to sink in, while said cyborg quickly lifted his katana and, to the Danny's extreme pleasure, began to deflect the rounds with unmatched speed and skill. When the elder Michaels snapped out of his stupor, he quickly picked up his enthralled little brother, piggyback style, and beat feet in the opposite direction from the gunmen. Danny couldn't help looking back at the fight behind him as he watched the ninja close the distance on the gunmen within the blink of an eye before taking them out with his sword, in one slash.

"Woooow."

He was gushing.

* * *

Echo-8 ran.

Echo-9, 10, and 11 were confirmed KIA. He had no idea where Echo-1 was, but assumed the worst, and it wasn't looking good for him either.

 _'_ _I don't know where that-that…samurai came from, and I don't really want to know. But if I'm gonna die, then I'm taking those objectives with me.'_

He had just reached the street where the parking lot was located, having somehow escaped the mysterious samurai in the alley. He was alerted to the Michaels' location by the sound of gunfire, running towards the parking lot the noise erupted from. His blood ran cold when he caught a glimpse of another dragon just as it disappeared. Deciding on not wanting to tangle with whoever summoned it, he aimed for a path that ran parallel to the lot and that had an old wall built along it, giving him cover from whatever was in there.

He came across a hole in the wall that allowed him to peek inside. What he saw floored him.

Some sort of ninja was using a Japanese sword to deflect three pulse rifles worth of continuous fire, before, quicker than any human ever could, rushing in and sending them to hell with his blade. Looking the other way, he saw his targets make a run for the far side.

Echo-8 scowled in determination. He wasn't going to let them get away, not after everything they went through to get them. He continued down the path in pursuit of the Michaels. If these were to be his final moments then he would be sure to finish the mission.

This was no longer business for Echo-8. This was personal.

* * *

Jessie ran through an open gate, a little ways from the empty parking lot, with Danny still hanging from his back. The ten-year-old was star-struck at what, or rather, who he just saw rescuing his older brother.

By the time he snapped out of his euphoric state, Jessie had already put him down behind an outer wall of what seemed to be a warehouse, and was snapping his fingers by his little brother's ears to gain his attention.

"C'mon, little buddy. Now's a seriously bad time to be daydreaming." Said the elder Michaels in a frustrated tone.

Danny suddenly snapped a wide-eyed gaze at Jessie, causing the older man to jump back in surprise.

"Jessie." He whispered. He then pointed in the direction of the parking lot where they just came from. "Genji Shimada."

Jessie raised an eye brow in confusion.

"What?"

"That was Genji Shimada. Genji Shimada from Overwatch." The little hacker said, clear excitement in his voice.

"Genji Shim… you mean that freakin' ninja? That guy was an Overwatch agent!?" Jessie asked incredulously.

Danny simply nodded rapidly.

 _'_ _No way.'_ Jessie thought, astonished.

"Jessie!" Danny regained his brother's attention. "Overwatch is back! And they're here to save us! This is so unbelievably cool!" He whispered, voice straining with excitement.

 _'_ _Well fuck me with a diamond-tipped pogo stick on New Year's Day.'_

"I don't believe it. Overwatch is still kicking, and that they're here!" Jessie asked, astonished.

Danny nodded fast enough to risk a whiplash.

Jessie dragged a hand down his face. He genuinely did not know how to respond to this. His thought process however was interrupted when he caught movement to his left with his peripheral vision. A quick look in that direction had him pulling his little brother out of harm's way just as a burst of gunfire erupted in the silent grounds of the warehouse, and a small concentration of bullets impacted the concrete wall just behind the two brothers.

* * *

Their heads snapped in the direction of the sudden noise before making their way as quickly as they could towards the source.

"Hayaku! Watashitachi wa karera ni gai o ataeru koto wa dekimasen!" **[Quickly! We cannot let them be harmed!]** Yelled Genji in urgency.

"Sonogo, anata wa gekitekina baka ni oitsuku!" **[Then catch up, you dramatic idiot!]** Hanzo yelled back to Genji, having already pushed ahead of the ninja.

Genji activated his comms.

"Doctor, where are you?" He called to the swiss doctor.

"I am inbound to your location. I heard the gunfire. Please hurry, Genji!"

"Don't worry. We will."

* * *

Jessie whipped out his pistol and returned fire at Echo-8, who had quickly taken cover behind a concrete barrier. The elder Michaels pushed Danny behind him as he backed up as fast as he could, never ceasing his barrage of gunfire on the hitman's cover. He'd eject an empty ammo clip before the final bullet was fired, and a fresh one would be shoved in its place for near continuous gunfire.

Echo-8 stayed behind cover. He could feel each round impacting the barrier he was leaning against. He waited for a break in the attack to strike back, but Jessie had him pinned down. It didn't matter though, because Echo-8 knew that he will eventually run out of ammunition, then they would be nothing more than sitting ducks.

*CRACK*

"Shit!" Echo-8 ducked to one side.

* * *

Jessie smiled internally as one of his more focused shots punched through the barrier he had been endlessly assaulting. He did not see fit to stop his barrage, instead taking it as a chance to pick up the pace.

Danny remained steadfast behind his protective brother as they continued moving. He kept his eyes open for anymore nasty surprises, as well as looking for a way out. However, he was also getting tired. All the running, fighting, the chase through Numbani… it was all weighing on the ten-year-old. Unlike his older brother, he had never been trained by the military. He wasn't physically strong, doesn't have a huge store of stamina, and above all, he was not trained to handle the stresses of battle. All things considered, the little boy showed a herculean will and resolve that should be lauded. However, it still waned.

Jessie and Danny Michaels survived being shot at, chased through city streets, and car crashes to name a few. They've been through a lot. Sadly, it was at this moment, Murphy's Law came into play.

Jessie Sped up…

…and Danny tripped.

* * *

The sudden pause in gunfire left Echo-8 confused. That confusion, however, made way to startled realization when he heard yelping, followed by the sounds of bodies dropping to the ground. Not looking to waste a golden opportunity, he quickly peeked over the top of his cover to confirm his hopes, and was met with the sight of his targets on the ground and vulnerable.

Not wasting a single precious millisecond, Echo-8 quickly leveled his rifle at the prone boys ahead of him, ready to unload the full ammo clip at them with the possibility of emptying a second one for good measure.

"Game Over, motherfuckers."

* * *

The Shimadas mad it just in time to catch sight of the fallen Michaels and the Talon soldier lifting his weapon to finish them.

Genji's eyes widened in despair behind his visor. Despite his enhanced abilities, he would not be able to reach the assailant quickly enough to stop him.

Hanzo, on the other hand, already had an arrow charged. With a final twist of the wrist, he released the arrow, allowing it to fly along a curving trajectory towards its target.

The shot was made in such a miniscule window of opportunity that Hanzo couldn't help but pray that it was enough.

* * *

Echo-8 had his sights set on Jessie, seeing as he was the bigger threat.

He began pulling back the trigger when suddenly, a massive, sharp, searing pain exploded in his chest as Hanzo's arrow had impaled him. Breathing became impossible as blood flooded his lungs and he began to choke.

 _'_ _No…almost…had…them.'_ His final thaught.

Unaware to the dying mercenary, his hand began to subconsciously clench from the agonizing pain cause by the fatal wound. His mind registered one final bang before Echo-8 finally fell forward onto the ground, dead.

* * *

Before he could register the sudden yelp behind him, Jessie found himself tripping over and hitting the ground.

 _'_ _What the hell!?'_ He thought.

Not giving himself a moment, the older Michaels made to push himself up, knowing that the hitman is going to take this chance to try and kill them. He wanted to grab his little brother and get to cover quickly.

He only managed to get halfway up.

*BANG*

*THWACK*

Jessie hit the ground again, but he didn't notice. He just felt numb. Very numb. Then he started feeling it. The massive pain in his head. Worse than anything he ever felt before, on or off the battlefield, and it was coming from a spot just above and behind his right ear. His ear. His ears are ringing. He can't hear anything. Can't see anything. His vision was black. His mind hazy.

"….ie…."

Sound. He began to hear something over the constant ringing, but it sounded muffled; distant.

"…..s..ie…"

There it was again. Jessie's mind began to slowly clear.

"….sie! Jes…!"

"JESSIE!" Though still sounding muffled, it came through clear enough.

Someone was calling him.

"JESSIE, PLEASE!"

Jessie's vision started coming back, the world around him coming into view.

First thing he saw was a pair of knees on top of concrete and a wall behind them. His sight blurred slightly as he found the strength to angle his eyes up, despite the ever-present pain in his head. He fallowed the knees up towards a small torso which lead to a small head. His vision cleared up again and Jessie was struck with a sight he never wanted to see.

He saw Danny, crying. Fear could be clearly seen in his eyes, which were puffy and bloodshot. Danny was crying and calling for his big brother. Jessie tried to speak, to let his little brother know that he's here and he's alright, and that Danny can stop crying.

All he could do though was let out a very weak moan of pain as his attempt was rewarded with a sudden pulse of excruciating pain.

His vision blacked out again for a moment before coming back. This time, he could see Danny frantically waving at something that Jessie couldn't see.

"PLEASE! PLEASE, HELP HIM!" He barely heard him shout.

His vision blacked out again. Jessie tried moving but his body wouldn't respond. He just felt numb. He just felt…cold.

He felt cold.

Jessie began to feel a chill spread in his body. Also, his sight did not return. These signs were not good. They only point to one terrible explanation.

Jessie was dying.

"JESSEI!"

He couldn't feel anything, he couldn't see anything, but he could still hear his brother. It's the one little comfort the older Michaels had during his final moments: knowing that Danny was still with him.

Danny.

Danny was gonna be left alone.

Jessie didn't want to leave Danny alone. He didn't want to die. He wanted to be there for his little brother.

The chill was getting worse.

There were new voices but he couldn't make them out, anymore. They were deeper. Harsher. Were they here to help?

Jessie began to see something in the sea of black. He could see…

…light.

He could see the light.

He was crossing over.

He was heading to the afterlife.

Jessie had never been more scared, ever.

The chill was intense now, completely replacing the ache in his head as the light drew closer and brighter.

This was it. His time came.

The light was upon him, now. It was brighter than anything that ever existed; brighter than the sun itself.

And warm.

Warm?

The chill that plagued his senses suddenly began to rapidly recede. In its place was a comforting warmth. Jessie wondered if this meant that he was being welcomed into heaven.

Heaven is good, but what about Danny? He wished deeply that Danny could come too, but it was not to be. Danny was still alive. He, on the other hand…

One last thought passed through Jessie's mind as the light consumed him.

 _'I'm sorry, little buddy.'_

…

…

…

…

"Heroes never die!"


	6. ARC 1 (Finale): What Now

**Seattle, Washington**

He ran as fast as he could through the streets of Seattle, taking every shortcut he knew to get back home. He cursed his luck for getting detention on the one day he needed to be home early. Not only that, but the stunt that landed him there wasn't even his fault to begin with. The fact that this also made him miss the bus home was the bitter icing on a very nasty cake.

' _I'm gonna get you for this, Sammy, I swear.'_ Cursed the eleven-year-old boy.

Through alleys, shops, and backyards he ran, with no signs of stopping until he reached his home. A barrage of sounds bombarded his hearing. The rushing air made for a continuous undertone while his heavy breathing and footsteps provided a rhythm. This symphony of energy and work continued for another few minutes until, eventually, it came to an end as the child had finally reached his destination.

The two-story house stood proud and welcoming before him as he braced himself on his knees and caught his breath. He stood just down the path from the brown door of the big, blue abode. Shrubbery surrounded the property like a protective wall that the boy's parents thought would be a subtle, yet effective way to keep the neighbor's dog from relieving itself all over their front lawn, and it did.

Once his pulse had retreated to safer levels, the child straightened back up. With his mind re-oxygenated and he could think clearly once more, he walked towards the front door to his family's home, each step taken with purpose. It was also with each step that his excitement grew, because today was a very special day for him.

He reached the door and carefully opened it. It was by shear will power that he managed to keep himself from just ramming through in a roar of excitement. Slowly he stepped into the suspiciously quiet house.

"Mom?" He called out. "I'm home."

He was only met with silence.

The eleven-year-old dropped his school bag by the stairs then proceeded to search the lower floor for any signs of his mother. He stepped into the living room, only to find everything as it should be. An ornate fireplace stood in the far wall, opposite the door way. The Sofa sat along the left wall, underneath the window that looked out over the front lawn, and the T.V. hung within a recess in the large bookcase that took up most of the right wall, shelves lined with varying volumes ranging in topics. The young boy never understood why his parents always bought those books when they could just download each and every one of them on their tablets. He didn't understand why they continue to even make books.

Before he could further contemplate the continued existence of books, he found himself being lifted off the ground by a pair of strong arms with a yelp of surprise.

"Ahhh! Got ya, you little sucker!" Came deep, masculine and familiar voice from behind. This was then followed up by raspberries to the boy's neck. This caused him to burst out laughing at the ticklish attack.

"Dad! Ha! St-stop! Hahaha!" The child forced out. Mercifully, the attack was short lived.

"C'mon, Jess. you're getting sloppy, buddy." Said the brunette man as he was joined by a red-headed woman. Meanwhile, the boy, Jessie, caught his breath for the second time in ten minutes.

"I'm not…getting sloppy...you're just too…too good." Jessie managed to get out between breathes.

"I'm not _that_ good, champ." Dad retorted. He then steered his son's attention towards the carpet laying in the center of the room.

"Look here. What do you see?" The older man asked. Jessie took one last breathe before speaking.

"Mom's carpet." He answered with a mirthful smirk.

Dad rolled his eyes while mom giggled.

"Wise guy. Seriously though, what do you notice that's off about the carpet?"

Jessie pointed a focused glare at the carpet, scanning it for any anomalies before locking in at the tassels lining their side of the carpet.

"The tassels." He finally said.

"What about'em?"

"The bunch near the corner. They've been rolled back, while the others are pointed towards the door."

"That's right. A sure sign that something or someone was here. Now the couch."

Jessie once more focused as he aimed his sights on the plush couch. He looked it over multiple times but failed to find anything.

"Give." Jessie claimed defeat.

"Look at the throw pillows."

He focused on the two square shaped pillows. One sat leaning against the back, while the other was, as jessie noticed, propped against the far armrest.

"The one on the armrest?" He asked. Dad smiled.

"Right again, sport. That's where I was hiding. You see, because the armrests are so low, I spun the pillow to hide the ol' dome." He finished with a finger tap to his head.

This bewildered Jessie as he looked back to the couch then back to his father.

"Wait a minute. Dad, if you were there, how'd you get behind me?" The eleven-year-old enquired.

The older man smiled as he pointed back at his hiding place.

"I pulled the couch forward just enough that I could squeeze my sorry butt behind it. Then, I made my way to the other end, and when you zoned out on the shelves, I struck."

"Aaahh, man!" Jessie groaned, letting his head roll back in frustration. His mother embraced him from behind before speaking.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll catch him one of these days." She reassured him before letting him go.

Then dad threw an arm around Jessie's shoulder before giving him a loving squeeze.

"Look on the bright side, buddy. Not everyone has an army ranger for a dad that they can learn from. Trust me, by the time you're eighteen, you'll already be a one-man army." He reassured his son.

This was received by a chuckle. "Yeah, right."

Dad just shook his head in faux-disappointment. "Well maybe not with that attitude." They all laughed at that.

"Alright, boys, enough horsing around. It's time for dinner. Now, seeing that your dad's back from deployment, I decided to make your favorites: Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna." Mom said, effectively steering the conversation towards the kitchen.

The thought of their favorite dish had both Jessie and his dad standing at attention. They both loved mom's chicken cordon bleu lasagna. It was a well-known fact that she was an amazing cook, and both males were reaping the benefits.

"Good idea." The two said in sync.

As they headed towards the kitchen, mom spoke up once more.

"By the way, honey, didn't you say you were gonna come home early to see your father? How come you were late?" She asked curiously.

Jessie's eyes went wide.

"Uuuuuhhhhh…"

* * *

The incessant beeping of a 6:45 alarm is enough to drive anyone to murder. Jessie groaned from under his sheets at the vile instrument. He hated waking up this early, but he had school to get to, so he reluctantly reached a hand out from under his duvet and smacked the alarm off before rolling himself out of bed with the grace of a painter in an earthquake.

It had been a few months since his father retired from the military to be with his family and was able to smoothly integrate back into civilian life. Thanks to his past experience as an army ranger, he was also able to find a well-paying job working for the west coast branch of Helix Security International, who's office was based in the soldier's home city of Seattle. Jessie was particularly happy to have his dad back, the young boy still receiving lessons every now and then from his hero. His mother was also more relaxed since her husband was now around to help support their family.

Jessie started slowly making his way towards the bathroom, however he was quickly interrupted when he had tripped and fell over, hitting the floor with a weighty thud.

"Ow. That hurt." He grumbled as he looked back to find what he had tripped over, only to find one of his shirts that he left carelessly lying around.

' _So that's why they make me clean my room.'_ Jessie mused.

Now more awake from his little fall, the eleven-year-old got back on his feet and padded out once more towards the bathroom to freshen up.

Fifteen minutes later and Jessie was as fresh as an eleven-year-old could be at seven in the morning. He reentered his room and took a silent moment to contemplate his bed. He could almost swear it was calling to him.

' _Oh, Jessie boy, the bed, the bed is calling.'_ He sang sadly in his head, silently wishing he could dive back in and go back to sleep. With a half-lidded expression and a grunt of disappointment, Jessie turned towards his closet to get dressed.

Soon, the eleven-year-old was climbing down the stairs, as ready as he could ever be to face another day in the life. Unfortunately, you can never truly prepare for everything that life will throw at you, as Jessie was about to learn as he made his way into the kitchen.

He didn't expect his parents to be there, considering how quiet the room was on his approach. This struck him as odd. His parents almost always talk when they're at the table together, but not this time. He found them sitting at an empty table, staring at the glass top. No food, no coffee, and no conversation. They didn't even notice Jessie walk in. Both adults too deep in their own thoughts. This worried him. They were just sitting there doing absolutely nothing, hands either folded on the table top or steepled in front of their faces.

There was also tension permeating the air, thick enough to slice. The discomfort with this situation only escalated when he noticed their expressions. Jessie had never seen his parents so thoroughly defeated, especially his father who was normally active, energetic, and positive. To see him like this threw Jessie for a loop.

Deciding to break the silence, Jessie spoke up, trying to catch their attention.

"Morning." He greeted.

His parents looked up in surprise, not having noticed their own son enter the kitchen.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Morning, champ."

Their replies were half-hearted. Their eyes lacked the sparkle that they usually contained, and their smiles were barely smirks, lacking any warmth what-so-ever before disappearing out right, once more, and the two adults return to their thoughts.

Jessie was really worried now, seeing how lifeless his parents were.

He trekked around the kitchen and grabbed what he needed to make himself a bowl of cereal, all the while thinking about what was going on with his parents. Sitting down at the table with his food, Jessie started eating, all the while fighting off a sense of foreboding. Between every bite he would look up at his parents, who barely moved since he walked into the kitchen.

The young boy couldn't take it anymore as he spoke up, again.

"Is, uh, is something wrong?" He hesitantly asked.

Both their heads snapped up in his direction again, and this time, Jessie got a good look at them.

His mom's eyes were slightly bloodshot and swollen, clear indications that she had been crying.

His dad looked sick. His skin was paler, and his breathing was slightly strained.

Jessie was getting scared now.

They both attempted a warm smile, trying to assuage his worry, but it came up short.

"No, honey. Everything's fine. Just a bad night." His mother said.

"Don't sweat it, buddy. Nothing to get worried about."

The young boy was clearly not convinced.

"It doesn't look like nothing." He said.

"Jessie…" His mom began with a sigh but was cut off.

"Mom, you've been crying. Dad, you look sick. Something's definitely happened. Please. Tell me. I wanna help." Jessie pleaded.

His mother wanted to say something, but his dad held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, gaining her attention.

"Loraine, he needs to know." He spoke gently to his wife. After a moment, she nodded her understanding as fresh tears began to spill from her eyes.

Jessie sat there quietly as he waited, his breakfast completely forgotten.

His father turned his attention to him and began addressing the eleven-year-old.

"I need you to listen carefully, Jessie."

Jessie was all ears.

* * *

Jessie stood in the hallway of his school as he grabbed what he needed from his locker.

Cancer.

His father, his idol, had been diagnosed with a fatal case of cancer.

Jessie's mood that day had completely bottomed out. He didn't want to talk to anyone, or be involved with anything. He even ignored his friends who picked up on his sour mood and just wanted to help. All he wanted was just to be left alone until he went home.

Luck, however, was not on his side today, it seems.

An arm just landed roughly around his shoulders, and, sadly, Jessie knew exactly who's arm it was. His mood broke through the floor.

"Michaels! Wassup, pal?" Sammy Hopkins greeted mockingly.

Jessie didn't flinch, but his ire was quickly rising. Unfortunately, the bully kept talking.

"So listen, I got some homework that's due after lunch, and I forgot to do it. Now that idiot Mr. Jacobs is riding me about this already, and I'm so not in the mood for his bull. So I need you to do it for me."

Jessie closed his locker and made his way down the hall, completely ignoring Sammy.

"HEY! Don't you walk away from me, Michaels!" Sammy grabbed Jessie by the arm and yanked him back. Jessie was just as stone-faced as ever. The bully glared.

"Are you deaf, punk!? I said I want you to do my homework!" Sammy raised his voice.

Jessie was getting even more annoyed.

"Leave me alone, Sammy." Jessie replied, monotonously. Sammy scoffed.

"Oh? Or else what, Michaels?" The bully challenged.

Jessie was now getting angry.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

"Aww, you're not in the mood? Did baby wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Sammy mocked.

By now, other kids caught on to the exchange and were watching closely.

"You're an idiot." Jessie sighed, and made to turn away again, but was spun around by an angry Sammy.

"What'd you say, Bitch!?" The bully fumed.

"I said, no one's impressed by your swearing." He replied flatly.

"Is that right? Well, maybe I should make you swallow your teeth then, how about that, huh?" The bully threatened.

"Leave him alone, Sammy!" Came a girl's voice from the captivated crowd.

Sammy looked back to see Carla, Harry, and Lee. Jessie's friends.

"Oh yeah? And what are _you_ gonna do about it, girly?" The bully sneered.

The pony-tailed girl was about to give him a piece of her mind, but stopped when Sammy was suddenly and violently rammed, face first, into one of the lockers. It was enough force to break the boy's nose and leave a small dent in the locker's pristine surface. He fell to the ground before grabbing his broken and bloody nose, a look of shear pain on his face.

There wasn't a single jaw that hadn't hit the floor. They all stared at Jessie who was quietly making his way down the hall towards his next class.

He had no tolorence for Sammy and his tough guy act. Jessie had other things on his mind. Namely, the fact that his father was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to save him.

* * *

The beeping of the heart monitor set a grim back-tone to the room. The sterile white walls and bed sheets were not inspiring hope and confidence. The smell of antiseptic is enough to make one sick, despite their medicinal function. Jessie didn't want to be here. He wanted to be everywhere but here. He wanted to grab his family and make a run for it; to leave the hospital and all their problems, and go live a happy life.

If Jessie's dad wasn't the one connected to the heart monitor, in the sterile white hospital room that smell of antiseptic, he would have done just that.

The twelve-year-old stood by the only bed in the room, letting his mother and her slowly growing belly have the seat. He was heartbroken as he watched his dad, lying in bed, as he breathed through a respirator. His skin was paling slowly, and hair was all but gone at this point. He looked like death and it was nigh-impossible for the two other family members to bear.

Still, the dying man soldiered on. Defying the estimated time of death of his physician by a few months, his steadfast nature remaining strong and true. Despite this, it was clear his time was soon, and the mother-son duo had been visiting every chance they could.

Jessie had zoned out of the conversation between his parents, losing himself in his thoughts. Currently, he was coming up with a list of people he would happily replace his dad with. Sammy Hopkins was holding the number one spot.

"Jessie." The strained voice of his father broke Jessie out of his thoughts.

"Dad, what is it? What do you need?" The twelve-year-old fussed over the older man.

His dad smiled at this before grabbing his attention, again.

"Listen." He waved Jessie closer. "I'm not gonna lie to you, champ. I haven't got much time left. Right now, I need you to be strong, you hear? I need you to be strong for your mother and your new sibling. They're gonna need you, pal, so you gotta make sure you're there for'em, understand?"

Jessie nodded. This wasn't fair. His dad had been through so much, and gave so much. Why did he have to be the one to suffer like this? His mother as well. A couple of months after his dad was diagnosed, his mother discovered she was pregnant. She has to go through three full trimesters without her main source of support. Jessie was ill equipped to fill the sizable shoes his father was going to leave behind.

' _I think I'm gonna be sick.'_ The twelve-year-old thought to himself.

"I know that this must feel daunting. Believe me, I understand, but you're gonna have to power through it. Just remember, if it ever gets too much, don't forget that the two of you are not alone. Your uncles and aunts will be there to help you. You'll always have family to help you. Remember that the Michaels family are a tight bunch. We never leave are own hung out to dry. Got that, buddy?"

Jessie sighed. "It's not fair." He said quietly. "Why does it have to be you?"

The man in bed gently took his son's hand into his own and gave it a loving squeeze.

"That's life, buddy, and I doubt I'm the only one."

"It's still not fair."

"I know, champ, I know."

* * *

The wet grass glimmered across the field, providing a contrast to the amount of grey that there seems to be, from either stone, sky, mood or emotion. The heaven's wept openly on this day as rain came pouring from the sky.

His eyes haven't deviated since he had first seen it laying on the table at the end of the room they had just vacated. The immaculate finish of the royal blue surface shined, beautifully contrasted with brass handles and ivory trim. It shimmered even more due to the rain water that soaked it from the frame up as it was carried towards its final destination by four men adorned in formal dress uniforms and hats. They proceeded in a slow, synched and steady gait; they had to show him maximum respect. He watched as they carefully carried him along the cobblestone path.

He held her hand which laid on his left shoulder, trying to give her as much strength as she was giving him. He hadn't left her side since the news was broken to them a few days ago. He promised him he would be strong for her, and to be there for her. However, his resolve was being tested severely. His eyes kept threatening to spill, but he kept them in check. They needed to support each other during these terrible times, and if he broke, so would she. He would never let that happen. He will live up to his standards, and he will protect his loved ones.

…But it was hard…

…so very hard.

The precession soon flowed off the cobblestone and onto a patch of green as it approached a freshly dug, rectangular hole that measured down to six feet in depth.

His heart sank, seeing his final resting place. His eyes stung once more, but clamped it shut.

Once he was placed on the lift that would lower him down into the earth, they all gathered around as the pastor spoke his words, words that truly described him in the best of light, as it should, for he had earned that right. The pastor continued, and his heart tightened even more but remained steadfast. She needed him to. The pastor soon finished, and the bagpipes began to play their song of loss and melancholy, followed by the ever-so-appreciative 21-gun salute. He had fought for this country and everyone within. He deserved no less. The arm that had remained around his shoulder throughout the day's journey brought him in closer, and he returned the favor by giving her hand another long squeeze, both communicating their support for each other.

The lift came to life and began to lower him.

He continued to fight his traitorous eyes and his hurting heart.

She let a few drops fall from her gaze.

Deeper and deeper he was lowered, and deeper and deeper their hearts sank, until he was finally laid in his final resting place. The bagpipes continued to play as the lifts were removed. They stepped up to the hole, taking a moment of silence in his honor, before allowing an intricate bouquet of roses to join him at the bottom. One white rose, one pink rose, one blue rose, and one black rose, surrounded by eleven red roses. They picked them out themselves for this day, to communicate to him what he meant to them.

They stepped back and watched as the hole began to be filled.

He could not hold them back anymore as his eyes had finally spilled over, followed by a quiet, choked sob.

She stood behind him and wrapped both her arms over his shoulders and around his torso, and pulled him gently into a strong embrace. He couldn't help it as he leaned back into her. He could feel her growing orb of life behind his back, being very careful not to harm it.

As the hole had been filled, they all started to leave, but they stayed a while longer, watching the freshly packed dirt. The rain continued to fall. Their tears continued to fall. However, her womb continued to grow, and so would he. He will be the man she- no - _they_ needed him to be. He will make them proud.

He will make _him_ proud.

Soon they turned away, and began to make their way home. As they began their trek, he gave his final peace.

' _Goodbye, dad.'_

* * *

Jessie was all over the waiting room, borderline panicking as he waited for the news.

It had been a few months since his father's funeral, and although he had not gotten over the loss, he was doing better, as well as his mother who had went into labor a few hours ago. Luckily, they decided to move her into the hospital, the night before, when the expected due date approached. That was lucky as her water broke a few days earlier than anticipated. Now, Jessie was pacing all over the waiting room waiting for the whole ordeal to end so he could see his mother, as well as his new baby brother.

Ever since his father told him of his new role as the man of the house, the thirteen-year-old had been doing everything in his power to live up to the title. He was virtually his mom's shadow, constantly by her side and fussing over her. It was endearing to the pregnant woman, but also a tad bit irritating. She was pregnant, not paralyzed. However, though she would never admit it, she did find an advantage in her son's constant fawning. Like any other child, Jessie was not one for studying and homework. His grades were above average at best. His mother knew that if he applied himself, he could do much better in school. After careful consideration, she decided to exploit her newly discovered advantage.

"Jessie, don't worry about me. Worry about your studies. I'd hate to be the reason you flunked out of school." She said when Jessie tried to help her up the stairs.

Apparently, it worked.

Jessie's grades skyrocketed, nearly shell-shocking his teachers. From above-average scores to top of his class, Jessie did everything he could to make sure his mother didn't have to worry about him. Jessie's mother was elated, knowing fully well that son could be a capable student. However, after a while, she realized something so left-field that she had to address it. Her little plan was starting to misfire when she noticed that Jessie was studying TOO MUCH. It was becoming worrying to the pregnant woman, much to her surprise. So, by following the same strategy that brought him to this point, she figured out a way to balance him out.

"Listen, sweetheart. As happy as I am to see your grades so high, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're studying way too much. It can't be healthy. Why don't you go have fun with your friends more, or pick up a sport? There's more to life than just fussing over me and studying. Your little brother's gonna need you fit and healthy so you could play with him."

That seemed to have done the trick as Jessie realized what his mother was getting at. So, he began to give her some space while still being close in case she needed him. He also started seeing his friends more, and to his mother's slight bewilderment, started engaging in parkour, also known as free-running, and proving himself quite adept to it. He would perform random maneuvers in and around the house to entertain his mother whenever she becomes struck by a bout of depression. She had a harder time after the funeral due to the hormonal and emotional rollercoaster that comes with pregnancy.

"Jessie."

His head snapped up in surprise, looking towards his uncle James and aunt Jenny who were going to watch him while Jessie's mom was in the hospital. Uncle James was his dad's brother.

"Relax, kiddo. All this pacing and worrying isn't helping anything. Seriously, at this rate, you're gonna be an old man by the time this whole thing blows over." He said with a mirthful smirk.

Jessie just sighed.

"Can't help it." He muttered.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. This isn't her first time." Aunt Jenny spoke up.

"You heard her, Jess. Sit down and take a load off."

Jessie sighed, conceding to his uncle's advice and sitting down.

The young boy couldn't help himself. He knew it wasn't his mother's first time in labor, but it was for him. Knowing his mother was in pain and there was nothing that he could do to help except to wait was driving Jessie up the walls.

The waiting itself was absolutely agonizing. They've been waiting a good four hours as it is.

' _How long does this usually take?'_ He thought in frustration.

He placed his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands before letting out a sigh in worry.

The sudden weight of a hand on his head caught him by surprise. He looked up to see his uncle James giving him a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, son. Your mother's just as tough as your dad. I would know, believe me." He finished with a chuckle and a rub to the side of his jaw, remembering something that afflicted that portion.

Jessie managed a small smirk before letting it drop and returning his gaze towards the ground.

' _She'll be fine.'_

* * *

Two hours have passed before a nurse came by and passed on the news of a successful delivery. Jessie had been napping when it came. He was relieved, to say the least.

"Can I see her?" Jessie asked, or rather pleaded the nurse. The nurse herself simply smiled at the thirteen-year-old.

"Of course you can. She's waiting to introduce you to your new little brother." She said.

Jessie's eyes widened.

"My little brother!?"

* * *

' _My little brother.'_

Jessie stared at the little bundle in his mother's arms. He looked so small and fragile, wrapped in a hospital-issued blanket. Jessie just stared in awe at his little brother, who his mother had named Danny.

' _Little Danny Michaels.'_ He thought wistfully.

His mother was exhausted, but elated, as she conversed with Jessie's uncle and aunt. To the thirteen-year-old, she looked like she'd been through a battle which, in hind sight, she had. He didn't mind it though. So long as she's fine, Jessie wouldn't have to worry.

' _Thank god it's over.'_ He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jessie." Came his mother's tired voice, snapping him from his musings. He looked up to find her smiling at him.

"How're you doing, sweetheart?" She asked gently.

Jessie matched his mother's smile as he spoke.

"Don't worry about me, mom, I'm fine. It's you who I should ask. Are _you_ okay? Do you need anything?"

Mom giggled before replying.

"I'm fine, honey. Just tired. Giving birth is never an easy thing, you know."

"Yeah, I guess so." The teenager said, sitting closer to his mother.

"So, what do you think? Did I do a good job?" She asked her son, playfully, presenting his new baby brother to him.

Jessie looked at the little bundle of joy sleeping in his mother's arms. His tiny chest rising and falling in slumber. He could just see a small tuft of brown hair on his head, and from what he had heard from the adults' conversation, he apparently had his mother's eyes. She had blue eyes, which meant that Danny also had blue eyes. Jessie didn't care though. To him, his little brother was perfect in every way.

"Yeah, mom. You did a great job. He looks amazing." He answered with sincerity.

Mom looked down at the bundled-up child, eyes expressing nothing but pure love for her baby boy.

"He does, doesn't he? …Your father would've been proud."

Jessie's smile faded slightly at the mention of his deceased father. He knew his mother is still hurting from the loss as much as he was. Maybe even more. He leaned forward over the bed and placed a loving kiss on his mother's head before sitting back down next to her bed.

"I'm sure he is, mom. I just know it."

"Yeah…he probably is. Thanks, sweetheart." She said, looking back to her first-born.

"You're welcome, mom."

"You think you can be a good big brother to your little brother?"

"I _know_ I can."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

It was at that point that the nurse peeked in.

"I'm sorry to disturb you all, but I'm afraid visiting hours are almost over, and the patient needs her rest." She announced before leaving once more.

Uncle James stood from his chair opposite Jessie.

"Alright, gang. You heard the nurse. Let's pack it up and let these two grab some shut eye." He then turned to Jessie's mom. "Don't worry, Loraine. We'll be back tomorrow morning. We'll even smuggle you some pancakes in Jenny's purse, how about that?" He finished light-heartedly.

"Nice, big, blueberry pancakes just for you. We know how bad hospital food can get." Aunt Jenny quickly added. Mom giggled at the two.

"You sure ain't whistling dixie, babe. The stuffs all kinds of nasty; right up there with those military M.R.E. things. Trust me we'll be doing the woman a favor."

They all had a good laugh before Uncle James and Aunt Jenny said their goodbyes and started making their way out of the hospital room.

"Hey, Jess. You comin', kid?" The older man asked when he noticed the teen wasn't following. Jessie nodded before answering.

"I'll be there in a sec."

"Alright, then. We'll be outside." With that, they two adults left the room.

Now that the mother and her two sons were the only ones left in the room, Jessie spoke up.

"You sure you're okay, mom?" He asked, voice tinged in worry.

His mom couldn't help another smile.

' _He's still worrying about me.'_ She thought appreciatively.

"I'm absolutely fine, sweetheart. Don't worry about me. The worst is already over, and we're surrounded by trained doctors and nurses. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine."

"I hope you're right." He sighed. The older woman adopted a look of concern.

"Jessie? What's wrong, honey? Why all this worry? Why so nervous?" She asked, her motherly instinct on high alert.

Jessie fidgeted.

"…It's just…I…I read online that there are possibilities of…um…c-complications." He confessed. His mother, despite her tired state, realized what he was referring to.

"Oh, sweetheart." She sighed in sympathy. She then shuffled over slightly and patted the vacant spot next to her for Jessie to join her. Confused, the young boy climbed onto the bed next to his beloved mother. She surprised him when she adjusted her hold on his baby brother to free up one of her arms, pulling her eldest into an embrace, making sure that his head was right over her heart. Jessie couldn't help but return the embrace. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief at the familiar sensation of warmth and safety that comforted him many a time during his thirteen years of life.

The sound of her heartbeat lulled him; his stress and worries fading away, powerless against the safety, comfort and adoration that only a mother's love could give. For a moment there was nothing but the muffled beat of her heart beating below his ear. Soon, her soft, gentle, and angelic voice came through, joining the life-giving rhythm.

"Can you hear it?" She simply asked.

He nodded against her chest.

"Does it sound healthy?"

He nodded again.

"Does it sound strong?"

…and again.

"Good. That's exactly how it'll sound the next time you see me. Do you understand, sweetheart?"

Another nod.

This earned him the sensation of soft lips on his head as his mother gave him a tender, loving peck. They spent the next moment in a comfortable silence, him still cuddled up and listening, and her rubbing his back in their embrace.

They soon parted, and Jessie climbed off the bed. Mom spoke up again.

"You better get going, before your uncle starts calling you a 'mama's boy' or something." She said with mirth. Jessie laughed before adopting a look of false worry.

"Uh Oh. Guess I better get going then. Bye mom. See you tomorrow." He quickly gave her one last kiss on the cheek before running around the bed to plant a gentle one on his baby brother's head. After that he made for the door.

"Bye, honey. I love you." She called out just as Jessie opened the door.

"Love you too, mom. Goodnight." He returned with a smile before closing the door and leaving the hospital feeling elated and content.

* * *

He couldn't feel anything anymore.

He couldn't feel the chill of the hospital interior.

He couldn't feel the weight of his uncle's hand on his shoulder.

He couldn't feel his extremities.

He couldn't feel the grim atmosphere that had befallen the building.

He couldn't feel his own heartbeat.

He couldn't hear anything, either.

He couldn't hear what the doctor was saying.

He couldn't hear his uncle replying in anger.

He couldn't hear his aunt crying.

He couldn't hear his baby brother calling.

…

He couldn't hear her heartbeat.

…

His mental faculties had failed him.

His body was unresponsive.

His emotions were confused.

They had failed him.

They had failed them.

They had failed the baby.

Worst of all, they have failed her.

The world around him began to tilt forward.

There was a pulling sensation.

The walls and doors were replaced by ceiling and lights.

Air rushed past him.

Impact.

Everything went black.

The doctor's words were the last thing to go through his head.

"Mrs. Michaels had suffered from cardiac arrest last night, and has tragically passed away."

* * *

 **Location: Unknown**

Jessie shot up fully alert and tense, ready for a fight. His heart was beating a mile a minute and his lungs were heaving as they tried to supply the oxygen needed. His eyes quickly scanned his surroundings for signs of hostilities only to find himself inside what looked like a church.

He looked on in confusion at the empty rows of pews that were neatly split into two columns down the middle of the main room. He was sitting on the ground propped up by his left arm. The beige marble tiling felt cold under his palm.

Jessie checked himself over, confused further at the sight of his adult body.

' _Wait. Wasn't I just….'_ He began thinking before realization dawned on him.

Memories. They were all his memories from his childhood. From the day his father came home to the day his mother died.

A sharp pang of pain struck the twenty-three-year-old, having remembered the worst moments of his life. The images of his mother and father smiling flashed through his mind. The ex-soldier grimaced at the fact that he had to relive those horrible times.

' _It felt so real.'_

Pushing away his dark thoughts, Jessie stood up off the marble floor and dusted his hands, only mildly aware that his hands were clean, and the floor was devoid of all dust particles. Now off the ground, he took another good look around at the mysterious location.

' _Nice place. Love the décor.'_ He mused, admiring the church. The walls were painted a pure white with added flake to make them shimmer in the light of the sun that shined into the holy construction through a massive domed skylight. The ceiling surrounding the glass skylight was covered in a beautiful mural that Jessie did not know anything about. Other wall decorations hung from the walls symmetrically. One wall mirrored the opposite. At the end of the aisle, there stood an altar that was bare of everything save for a white sheet that covered the surface. A ten-foot-high golden cross stood behind it. Behind the cross was a huge floor-to-ceiling window that further shined light into the room and giving the giant ornament an ethereal, golden glow.

Looking behind him, he found the front doors, and walked over. It never occurred to him just how quiet this church was, however, as he walked, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the chamber-like room truly emphasized just how empty it all felt. There was no other sound. There was no mood. There didn't even seem to be an atmosphere. There was no life, what so ever.

' _It's quiet in here. Too quiet.'_ He then smiled to himself. _'Never thought I'd get a chance to say that.'_

Moments later, he reached the doors. A large set of mahogany doors stood as the church's sole entrance point. They stood a good seven feet tall with gold, ornamental handles and hinges. He grabbed the handle and tried to open them, but they wouldn't budge.

"Seriously?" He said with ire.

He tried again, with the same results. He then tried once more, but with more force. It still wouldn't give.

'Great, I'm locked in.' He thought, giving the door a kick in frustration. All that did was result in a small echoing boom that further emphasized the deathly silence.

He let out an irritated sigh as he realized that he was not going to leave through the front. He turned around to go find another exit but stopped dead in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat in shock at what he saw.

A Casket now laid on top of the altar.

"…the hell…?" The former lieutenant muttered.

Its sudden appearance unnerved him. The altar had absolutely nothing on it when he first saw it, and he did not hear or see anyone else, especially if he was standing at what seemed to be the only set of doors in the entire chamber. The casket now occupied the surface, and suddenly becoming the center of attention.

Jessie didn't dare move. He also couldn't look away from the unholy container. It wasn't just it's sudden appearance that scared him, it was the fact that it looked unnervingly familiar.

Painted a deep royal blue, equipped with brass, and trimmed in Ivory, his father's casket gleamed in the sunlight. Combined with the golden glow of the cross, the image was simply too surreal; too unnatural yet beautiful.

With utter will power, Jessie managed to get himself moving. Slowly but surely, he approached the altar. The last time he saw it was back at his father's funeral, before it was buried beneath six feet of dirt.

That was over eleven years ago. The casket looked as fresh as the day it was made.

Step by step, Jessie got closer and closer, until eventually he stood before it. He eyed it closely, unsure if it truly was his father's. He slowly reached out and grabbed hold of the brass latches, and unfastening them. He didn't know what he was doing, but gut feeling dictated that he open it. He had to be sure.

With the latches undone, he grabbed the lip with both hands, and promptly hesitated.

' _Do I really wanna do this?'_ He mused, unsure if he wanted to see what was inside.

Steeling his resolve, he took a deep breath and held it before quickly flipping the lid open.

He released the breath as his beating heart began to calm down from the anticipation.

The casket was empty. He was only greeted by the padded, ivory silk of the interior.

Jessie let out a sigh, frustrated that there was nothing to clue him in on the casket's mysterious appearance, but also glad that he didn't find his father's body inside. Closing the casket, he gave the blue box another cursory scan. His gaze landed on the plaque that was mounted on the body, between the two brass carrying handles. Leaning down, he read the name printed on it…and his eyes went wide in surprise, seeing that it wasn't his father's name on it, or anyone else's for that matter.

 **JESSIE D. MICHAELS**

"What the fuck!?" He whispered to himself as he slowly backed away his casket, absolutely unnerved and very worried.

"What the fuck is right."

Jessie spun around in an instant at the voice that came from behind him.

His jaw promptly hit the floor, unbelieving of the sight that greeted him.

"Surprise, surprise, buddy."

Jessie didn't know what to think. The man in front of him looked exactly like him. Same brown hair, same brown eyes, same built physique, he was even wearing the same clothes that Jessie was currently wearing. It was like staring at a mirror. It was that uncanny.

It scared the shit out of him.

"No way. No FUCKING way." Jessie said in disbelief.

The doppelganger smiled.

"You better believe it, otherwise we're gonna be here all day." The second Jessie said.

Instinctually, the real Jessie reached behind his pants for a gun only to find nothing, much to his dismay.

"C'mon, man. Do you really wanna start a firefight inside a church?" The new arrival said disapprovingly.

"Who the hell are you!?" Jessie hissed, not willing to stand down while this clone was here. He didn't trust anything now, not even the furniture, seeing as they seem to appear or disappear at will.

The other man maintained a calm demeanor as he spoke once more, sticking his hands In his pockets.

"Me? I'm everything and/or nothing you want me to be. I could be your subconscious, your will to live, your fighting spirit, maybe even the voice of logic inside that skull of yours." He shrugged. "Either way, at the end of the day, I'm you."

"What?" Jessie was thoroughly confused right now.

"Let me explain." He began walking around, inspecting the room. Jessie's eyes never left him for a moment.

"You see all this?" He turned around and walked backwards while lifting both arms to emphasize the large chamber they were in. "All this isn't real. Nothing." He stopped and dropped his hands. "As we speak, we are NOT inside a beautiful church of gold and white and what-not, and that is not our dad's casket with our name on it." He finished by pointing back towards the altar.

Jessie watched his so-called subconscious closely. He was finding everything he was saying hard to swallow.

"…So where….?"

"We're inside your mind, right now."

"What!?"

"You heard me."

"Inside my mind."

"Yup, and I can prove it."

"I don't trust you to prove anything to me."

"You won't believe me without proof, yet you don't trust me to prove it. You just brought this whole thing to a stand-still. Congratulations." The new Jessie pointed out in an irked tone of voice.

Jessie conceded that he may have just made things more difficult for himself.

"Alright. How?"

Jessie two smiled.

"Easy. Just imagine something inside this room, anything you want."

"Are you serious right now?"

"DEAD serious."

The way his twin emphasized the word 'dead', for some strange reason, sent shivers down Jessie's spine. Pushing any morbid thoughts out, he hesitantly focused on the task at hand, closing his eyes as he imagined something that would make or break the other man's claim.

"Yeah, now we're talking!" The second Jessie cheered making the real Jessie open his eyes to see for himself.

' _You have got to be kidding.'_ His jaw hung open and he was left dumb-founded, yet again.

"Nope. I'm not. Clearly, you're convinced, now." The doppelganger replied.

"How'd you…never mind." The real Jessie wondered how the other man read his thoughts, but then remembered that he was his subconscious and/or his common sense.

Jessie was now a believer as he stared in awe at the gigantic, carbon copy of Doomfist's gauntlet. In addition to the enlarged glove, one side of the church had been extended further and higher to accommodate the enormous glove comfortably. It walls were even painted and decorated, and there were no signs of recent construction, what-so-ever.

Jessie two chuckled.

"Go big or go home. Shit, this thing was a massive pain in the ass to begin with, the hell's it gonna be now?"

Jessie one sighed.

"Don't know, and I don't really care, right now." He stated before sitting down at the nearest pew, rubbing his face with both hands. "So, tell me. Why am I here?"

The other man joined him as he spoke.

"You're in a coma right now, standing at death's door."

Jessie was, once again, surprised.

"A coma!? What the hell happened!?"

"Try to remember."

Jessie blinked, and then focused on his memories, trying to remember the last thing that happened to him. For a moment nothing came to mind.

But then…

…It all came rushing back.

The market place.

The hitmen.

The car chase.

The crash.

The alleyway.

The samurai and the ninja.

The warehouse.

And…

"Ahh!" Jessie recoiled as a sudden sharp hit of pain had erupted in his head, behind his right ear. Instinctually, his palms flew up to apply pressure to the source, hoping it would dull the pain. After a moment the pain quickly receded until it was gone. His heavy panting soon began to slow down as well.

"Yeah, it hurt like a bitch, I know." Came his voice from beside him.

Jessie looked up to the second as the other man continued.

"Just so you know, that was the watered-down version. If it was the real deal, this whole thing we're in would have come crashing down because of the trauma."

Jessie looked back towards the ground, leaning onto his knees.

"Holy shit." He muttered, still panting heavily from the ordeal.

"What's holy is the fact that you're still alive. You always were a stubborn man." He finished with a smile. This made the real Jessie chuckle tiredly.

"Of course. I'm a Michaels, ain't I?" Jessie returned the smile.

"That you are."

"So, I'm in a coma?"

"Yup."

"How long?"

"Don't know."

"Am I gonna make it?"

"That's up to you, buddy. Do you want to go back to the real world?"

"…I don't know. It's been shitty, so far."

"Hmm. You miss mom and dad." It was a statement, not a question.

"Of course, I do."

"You wanna see'em?"

"Yeah."

"Then get in that casket." He said, pointing at the blue container up ahead.

"What?" Jessie was stumped.

"Mom and Dad are dead. No undoing that. Nothing could ever bring them back, and you know it."

Jessie did know it. It still caused him no less pain and grief to hear it. He would never show it out in public, but Jessie missed his parents severely. The ten years they had been gone were the hardest years he ever had to endure, and he was still twenty-five years old. He still had another eighty years to go, at least. It would be another eighty years of nothing but hardships. He didn't know if he could handle that.

"If you wanna end this hell you've been living; If you wanna see your parents again, all you have to do is walk up to that casket, climb in, I'll seal you in and you'll go gently and peacefully. All of this will end, and you can see your parents again."

The dying man's eyes snapped to his twin.

"…You can't be serious."

"As serious as cancer."

Jessie's eyes locked on to the royal blue container on the altar. Having been given the option to bring his hard life to an end, with the added bonus of being able to see his parents again, the temptation was strong.

' _To see mom and dad, again. No more heartache and no more troubles. All I have to do is get in…but…'_

"…I can't."

The other Jessie looked to him, an unreadable expression on his face.

"And why is that?" He asked, even though Jessie knew he knew the answer.

"I got a promise to keep."

"Figured."

Before Jessie could say anything else, his doppelganger stuck his arm in front of him, clutching something in his hand.

"Here."

Jessie looked at his hand and smirked, taking the proffered cigarette and accepting a light. They sat there in an oddly comfortable silence for a while, smoking their cigarettes.

…

…

"You know, I was hoping you weren't gonna do it."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"You had to know. Voice of logic, remember? Logic requires data, and you need to know your options."

"Life or death."

"That's the gist of it."

…

…

"Aren't you also my subconscious?"

"Like I said earlier, I'm everything and nothing you want me to be, and that includes your subconscious. Which reminds me."

Jessie two then pulled out a phone and handed it to Jessie one.

"I don't know where we are, but apparently, your little brother's nearby."

"How'd we figure that?"

"He was talking to you while you were memory surfing. Use the phone to play back what he said."

Jessie looked at the phone. It was unlocked, and only had one app. It was laughably simple.

"Before I check this, I gotta ask. What's with the phone? Or this church? Or even the casket?" He asked his twin. He had been wondering why his faculties had presented themselves in such a manner.

"Easier on the brain. Don't forget, you're still in a coma and your head took a beating. Think of it as a warm up period before your mind's back to 100%." The other man stated.

"Makes sense, I guess." He then opened the app. There was only one audio file which, presumably, was his brother talking to him. His thumb hit the play button and, surprisingly, it didn't come out of the phone's little speaker. Instead, it emanated from the air surrounding them. Jessie began hearing Danny speak.

"…Jessie?" Came the melancholic tone of his little brother. He sounded utterly defeated.

"I…uh, I hope you can hear me. The doc said there was a chance you could; that it might help." There was a short pause.

"She's really good. She should be 'cause she saved you…back in numbani; the warehouse." Another pause.

"We almost made it. We almost got away, but...but then I went and tripped over myself…and you got shot." Another pause fallowed by a small sniff.

"There was a lot of blood, jessie, _your_ blood, from _your_ head. It was bad. Really bad. If Overwatch didn't show up…." A sigh.

"There was a moment where your heart stopped, but then Mercy, the doc, she did this super cool, gold, healing magic thing with her staff, and brought you back!" There was a moment of excitement in the ten-year-old's voice as he talked about your rescue. It was still a bit of a shock for Jessie to hear that, for a short moment, he was clinically dead.

"But that was a week ago. We're now at this old Overwatch base in Gibraltar. You've been asleep the whole time we've been here, and haven't woken up, yet. The doc did everything she could…but so far there was barely any progress. Apparently, the ball's in your court, big bro. It's up to you to wake up." Another pause, longer than the others, followed by another sniff.

"Please, Jessie. Please wake up. I know I'm a Michaels…but I still get scared without you. I'm not strong like you. I don't know how to fight." Yet another pause.

"I really hope you can hear me. I love you, bro…and I miss you."

The recording ended.

The second Jessie was the first to speak up.

"At least he's safe, and it's only been a week, not two years or any of that bull." He said in an uplifting manner. The real Jessie stood up and started pacing.

"Doesn't matter if it was a week, two years, or a goddamn millennium. The fact is, he needs me and I'm not there for him." He said. He was not happy hearing his brother so grim.

"Technically." The second Jessie clarified.

"Technically." The real Jessie agreed.

"Well, get out there and cheer him up, then." The doppelganger told him.

"How do I do that?"

"Front door's over there." Jessie two said, pointing over his shoulder at the mahogany doors at the front of the room.

"I tried. They won't budge." Jessie one voiced his frustration.

His twin didn't say anything. He simply tossed his host a set of keys.

"Take these as well." He then handed him a pair of sunglasses. Jessie looked at his twin, lifting the glasses in silent enquiry.

"It's a little bright behind those doors." He simply informed. Jessie didn't prod further, taking his word for it.

Walking towards the doors, Jessie put on the shades, and grabbed one of the keys given to him. There were three, and they were all identical. Reaching the mahogany slabs, he inserted the key into it'd designated slot under the gold handles. It went in smoothly and willingly, and when he turned it, there was the very satisfying, heavy sound of the lock releasing.

'So much better than electric locks.' He mused. He could hear his twin chuckling behind him, still on his pew.

"Close the door behind you, will ya?"

"Sure."

Jessie turned one of the gold handles and opened the door. He recoiled and winced as he was nearly blinded by the shear intensity of the light shining behind it.

"A little bright, huh?" He called back at the man still seated.

"Yeah, a little bright." He answered in mirth.

"I'm such a smart ass." He muttered, before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

* * *

 **Watchpoint: Gibraltar**

By now, the padding on the chair he'd been sitting on had probably permanently settled into his shape. He had been sitting on it all day, every day for the past week since they came back from Numbani, and since then, he had sat vigilant over his older brother who had been comatose since suffering a GSW to the back of his head. They all held on to some hope that he would wake up soon. The fact that the shot that had left the ex-soldier in this precarious situation did not penetrate the skull was a miracle. In addition, the brain wave scanner was showing clear signs of activity with no irregularities, which means there was a good chance of him making a full recovery when he comes out of his coma.

As for the younger of the two brothers, He had been very quiet for much of the time they had been here. Dr. Zeigler could still tell that he was still struggling with guilt over what had happened. He continued to blame himself for his brother's demise, though not as much as when they first arrived, as Angela had allocated a good amount of time since to console the child and assuage his sense of culpability. She had been largely successful in this endeavor, but traces remain. She brought him most of the way, but now, only the man in question can truly alleviate the young boy from his blame, once and for all.

"Has he even gone to the bathroom?" Genji asked quietly. He was sitting on a stool next to Angela. At the doctor's insistence, he had come in for a check-up. If she was going to resume being the head physician, she will need to keep her files on all current agents up to date. Genji was the second. Angela had checked over tracer first after the adventurer had sustained injuries in London.

The doctor sighed as she glanced at the ten-year-old, then back to the cyborg before her.

"He has, but only because I reminded him. Even then, I had to give him doctor's orders. This situation with his brother is affecting him harshly." She replied, matching Genji's volume as she worked. Genji watched the little boy as he sat quietly, waiting for his brother to wake up.

"According to Winston, they are all they have. You cannot fault him for remaining by his brother's side, especially considering the current situation and everything they had suffered in Nigeria. Their bond is strong, and it shows."

"Indeed. I pray for the two boys, every day. They do not deserve to be in this situation. No one does."

"If only the whole world shared your sentiments, doctor." Genji said, looking back to Angela.

"If only." She sighed again before finishing up. "All done, Genji. You can put your chest plate back on."

"Let me guess: I'm as sick as a dog?" He asked humorously as he reattached his chest plate that covered up his mangled torso underneath. This made the doctor smile.

"Indeed, you are a complete and utter biohazard, and must be quarantined and put down as soon as possible." She returned his levity, and they both shared a light chuckle.

Their moment, however was cut short as a series of rough coughs originated from the occupied bed nearby. The noise had Danny up and alert within a moment's notice.

"Jessie!? Jessie!" He then looked back at the good doctor. "Doc! He's awake, hurry!"

Angela for her part was already equipped and making her way towards the prone man, with Genji close behind. She gently pulled Danny to one side and began to examine the now awoken Jessie. First thing she did was flash a small beam of light into his eyes, watching as they dilated.

"Jesus H. Christ, what's with all the bright lights?" Came his groggy response.

Doctor Zeigler put the light away, ignoring his comment. She then brought out her stethoscope, placing the pad onto the older Michaels' broad chest.

"Breath." She ordered.

Following orders, Jessie began taking slow deep breathes. It was a little uncomfortable due to having a dry throat, but he managed to get his coughing under control. Genji stood by Danny, a comforting hand on his shoulder. The two watched on, waiting for the all-clear from the doc.

The doctor removed the tool and proceeded to hold a finger in front of his face.

"Please follow with your eyes only."

He did. He kept his head still while his eyes followed her dainty digit as it moved up and down, then side to side. She dropped her finger afterwards once she was satisfied with the results.

"What is your name?" She asked, making sure his memory was intact.

"Jessie David Michaels."

"When were you born?"

"August 17, 2052." He answered obediently. This wasn't the first time a doctor had asked him these questions to make sure his mental faculties were intact.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Running for my life with my little brother. We were being chased by mercenaries who wanted us dead. We ran through the city streets until we ended up at a warehouse where we thought we lost them, but one of them got the jump on us. I was able to hold him back, but then I lost my footing. I tried to get up quick to get out of dodge, I wasn't quick enough, and I got shot in the back of the head."

Angela hummed, satisfied that her patient was going to make a full recovery.

"Well, Mr. Michaels, I can confidentially say that you are going to be just fine. Welcome back." She finally spoke with smile, happy that Jessie was going to make it through without issues. Danny let out a sigh of relief while Genji relaxed his stance. He gave Danny's shoulder a small pat before removing his hand all together. Danny noticed this, and his inner fanboy went ballistic, though he made sure it didn't show.

"Thanks doc, though you can drop the whole 'Mr. Michaels' noise. 'Jessie' is fine." Jessie replied with a tired yet appreciative smile. He then looked to his right, seeing his little brother looking safe and sound, which relieved him to no end.

"Danny." He called him over. Danny was at his brother's side within the blink of an eye.

"Right here, bro. Always have been." He said, fixing Jessie with a genuine and loving smile. He too was beyond relief knowing his older brother was finally awake and healthy.

"Don't doubt it, little buddy. How've you been fairing? Did you get your own scars yet, or did the doc do too good of a good job patching you up?" He asked, returning the smile. Danny chuckled while Doctor Zeigler smiled at their banter.

"Nah, I'm fine. You were the one who did all the work. All I did was follow you, or fall over."

It was only because the two brothers were very close that Jessie was able to pick up on a near-unnoticeable change in Danny's voice near the end of his comment, and it set off alarms in the older man's head, though he didn't show it. He would have to have a word with Danny in private about it, later.

"Glad to hear it, champ. Don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you." Jessie said as he placed a hand on his little brother's head.

It was then that he noticed the third figure standing behind Danny, brows rising in recognition as he eyed the cyborg.

"I remember you. The ninja from the parking lot. Kenji something, right?"

The man in question took a step forward and spoke.

"It's Genji, actually. Genji Shimada." He replied, bowing slightly in greeting. "May I ask how you know this?"

"Easy. Boy genius here is a big Overwatch fan." He smiled as he ruffled his brother's hair, and then chuckled as Danny subsequently swatted his hand away.

"So we've heard." Genji said with a nod.

"Yeah. Anyway, thanks for the assist back there. We'd probably both be dead if it wasn't for you. Both of you. We owe you big time." He said as he sat up, taking note of the hospital gown he was wearing.

"On the contrary. We're the ones who owe you." A deep voice had caught everyone's attention. Over by the med-bay door, Winston had just arrived with Tracer in tow, catching the tail-end of Jessie's conversation with Genji.

The ex-lieutenant quirked a brow at the fuzzy scientist.

"How'd you figure that?"

The new arrivals approached the group, Winston with a confident and friendly smile, and Tracer with look of curiosity and intrigue. The former began to speak.

"Allow me to explain, Mr. Michaels…"

"Jessie."

"…Jessie. You see, when you stopped Talon from stealing the Doomfist gauntlet, back at the Heritage Museum, you prevented the possibility of a fourth Doomfist. Understand now? You saved the world from a very serious threat." Winston's words oozed enthusiasm.

"Glad to hear it, I guess." Jessie responded, a small smile working its way on to his face.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, it also means that Talon aren't happy with you two, to say the least." Winston frowned.

"That's something I don't get." Jessie began. "The heist was a bust, so why waste resources on petty revenge? On two no-name civilians, none-the-less." He asked in a contemplative frown of his own.

"To send a message, mate. You two would have been hailed on the news as 'eroes. If ya suddenly popped up cold-blood and quiet, then everyone will know to stay away from Talon." Tracer spoke up this time, voice grim as she answered the older Michaels.

Jessie supported an elbow, and massaged his temples with his free hand. He let out a sigh of frustration at their precarious predicament, and Danny looked very worried.

"So, what now? We can't go back. The city's too hot." Jessie asked as he crossed his arms. He was still tired from his coma, and was in no shape, physically and mentally, to figure out their next step of survival.

"I believe you should stay here." Came the doctor's gentle voice. "It is simply too dangerous to be on your own, out there."

"I agree. Talon may send more mercenaries after you. You handled yourselves amicably back in Africa, but your luck will clearly not last." Genji added, not liking the brothers' odds if they were left to fend for themselves, again.

"It could be worse. Reaper could decide to deal with them himself." Winston replied to Genji before diverting his attention back to Jessie and Danny. "If he gets involved, then you two are as good as dead. It'll definitely be a lot safer for you to stay here with us."

"Plus, it's not like we're lacking space, right? Seriously, even the fuel stores still have room for a good five or six each, easy. We can put you in one of the old officer's quarters, if ya like." Tracer tacked on with a chipper note. Her upbeat personality alleviating some of the tense mood.

"It would be better than fighting for our live, or looking over our shoulders every time we hit Salem's or something." Danny decided to add his two cents. He then walked off to one side.

"Guess that settles it. We're moving in. Not like we really have a choice." Jessie remarked, putting a smile on everyone's faces. They made their case, and if Jessie was being honest with himself, he had no idea what him and Danny would have done if they hadn't accepted the offer to stay.

"Glad to hear it. I'll show you around once Angela clears you." The gorilla scientist offered.

"Actually, he should be fit enough to leave med-bay now." Angela stated before addressing Jessie. "Just take it easy for a day or two, and make sure to come see me in the morning for a final check-up, am I clear?"

"Crystal." The twenty-three-year-old nodded. "Now, has anyone seen my pants?"

"Heads up!" with a side-long glance, Jessie lifted his arms, not even turning his upper body, and caught the bag that Danny saw fit to toss his way. It was one of their bug-out bags. With a care-free sniff, he unzipped it to find all his clothes inside.

"Thanks, little buddy." He said. Before he pulled out his clothing, however, he reached into one of the smaller side pockets and pulled out a pair of ear plugs, much to the bewilderment of the Overwatch members.

"Now, before we do anything, I'm gonna have to ask all non-essential personnel to please vacate the room and reach minimum safety distance. This is _not_ a drill."

Now everyone was flat out confused, save for Danny who simply stood there with a neutral expression.

"Uuuhh…" Winston was going to say something but was cut off.

"Trust me on this one. You don't want to be here for this." The former soldier stressed to the others. Eventually, they conceded and left the room.

Jessie sighed, put in the ear plugs, and faced his little brother.

"So, Danny."

Danny looked to his older brother, face still blank.

"Yeah, bro?"

Jessie adjusted the ear plugs.

"Guess we're staying with Overwatch, huh?"

…

…

…

Slowly but surely, a very big and very bright smile grew on the little boy's face, his eyes betraying the sheer excitement that he had been keeping under lock and key the whole time. He was virtually bursting at the seams.

Jessie checked his ear plugs one last time.

' _Fire in the hole.'_

* * *

 **Location: Unknown**

He always wondered why he wore that mask, but figured that it was for added intimidation. If that was the case, then it was working.

Echo-1 was terrified.

"I'm very disappointed, captain." The feared mercenary began, his voice deep and unnatural. "I sent you to do one simple job…and you screw it up. Again."

Echo-1 swallowed as he stood at parade rest before Reaper. They were in a meeting room with an elongated table in the center. The captain stood on one side, while his boss stood on the other with his arms crossed and one of his shotguns lying on the table top between them.

"All you had to do was squash two bugs. That shouldn't have been trouble for a former army ranger. Hmph. Army ranger. Whose dick did you suck to get that promotion?" Reaper continued, mocking the last remaining member of Echo Unit.

That comment had admittedly hurt the captain's pride.

"I'm sorry, sir. We almost had them, it's just…" Reaper had cut him off before he could finish.

"Quiet." The dark cloaked man hissed.

"Yessir."

"I don't know who's the bigger fool, here. You for getting beaten by civilians, or me for giving you a second chance." The masked man had started slowly pacing up and down the length of the table.

Echo-1 couldn't help but eye the shotgun that laid before him on the table, with the business end pointed in his direction. He had a bad feeling and was very, very scared. Reaper continued.

"Not only did I give you a second chance, but I sent you more men, as well. Not only that, but it also took you a week for what should have been a ten-minute job." He stopped in front of Echo-1 again, turning his head to look at the captain.

"Tell me, captain. Why is that?"

EEcho-1 nearly collapsed from fear.

"W-We underestimated them, sir. They turned out to be armed, as well as crafty. A-And they also had explosives, sir. They were far better equipped than we had anticipated." The Echo-Unit captain attempted to explain his failure. This resulted in a growl from the Merc.

"Yes. I heard they blew up their apartment, killing three of your men in the process." Reaper shook his head. "None of that matters, now. Needless to say, you failed me, Captain. Severely. Not only are the targets alive, but now they've connected with Overwatch. As you can guess, this information irks me."

"Sir, with all due respect, this new Overwatch is nothing more than a bunch of misfits reliving their glory day. I'm positive I can lead a team in to eliminate them and the targets." Echo-1 tried explained, trying to earn a chance at redemption. However, Reaper wasn't having it.

"Denied. You fucked up enough, captain. I won't let you embarrass me or this organization more than you already have." He picks up his shotgun off the table. Echo-1's heart rate skyrocketed. "You're lucky I don't think you're worth the shell. Leave." Reaper's tone was stern and ice cold when he finished. Echo-1 said nothing as he quickly left the room with his tail between his legs.

"Idiot."

"Oui. You should have sent me." Widowmaker walked in just as the captain left.

"I didn't think they were worth your time."

"And yet they continue to breathe."

"Don't remind me." Reaper sat down in one of the numerous chairs surrounding the conference table. He contemplated how two simple targets became so very bothersome. "It's not worth sending anyone else after them at this point, especially since they shacked up with old friends."

Widowmaker contemplated her team mate, then spoke thoughtfully.

"They certainly have proven themselves. I'm almost tempted to hunt them myself."

"They're not worth it. I'll send out a kill order to anyone who sees them; We'll let them come to us."

"Is that wise?"

"They're civilians. They're harmless. And if they do start acting up, then we'll take care of them, ourselves."

This brought a small smirk to the spider's lips.

* * *

 **Watchpoint: Gibraltar**

It took them a good half hour to vent Danny's inner fanboy, and it really did need venting. Even with ear plugs, the torrent of excited chatter could only be dampened, but never stopped. Luckily for Jessie, having lived with Danny since the day he was born, He had grown accustomed to his brother's Overwatch rants, and so took this one in stride.

They were now in one of the residential blocks. Judging from the décor, it was meant for officers and other higher-ups. Jessie found out soon after leaving the med-bay that Danny managed to grab all their belongings before they left Numbani. Him and Genji had split from the group to collect everything while Mercy and someone named Hanzo carried Jessie back to their transport, which Danny described as a whale, much to the confusion of his older brother.

Right now, Jessie and Danny were following Winston. The gorilla was giving them a basic tour of the facility, mainly the amenities, Winston's lab, the housing area, and others. It was well past into the evening when he guided the brothers to their allocated room so that they may get some rest.

"Here we are." The scientist had announced with a smile. The group had come to a stop before a simple blue door with a numbered plaque bolted to the surface, the numbers 25 shining brightly.

Opening the door, the three of them walked in. The two brothers were left dumbfounded by how limber their host was as he easily squeezed through the opening. Inside the room, there were twin beds with navy blue covers and the Overwatch logo printed on each, cream-colored walls, a window overlooking the water, a white chest of drawers by the door, a white desk with a computer terminal, and another door.

"This room used to belong to twins who were nigh on inseparable. Climbed the ranks together and both earned an officer's position here, back when the base was still active. That's what the old personnel files said, at least. I personally never met them. Anyway, it's yours now. Only room here with twin beds. There are the crew's quarters, but we haven't gotten to it yet. What do you think?" Winston stepped aside to let the brothers appraise the room.

"MINE!" Danny dove for the far bed; his pick of the two available. He landed flat on to the mattress, which then promptly bounced him back up and over the farside of the bed, disappearing behind it followed by a thud and grunt.

"I'm okay!" Came Danny's quick response, leaving the other two laughing at the display.

"Yeah, it's pretty good. Cozy." Jessie answered the scientist as he dropped their bags by the desk.

"It's yours for as long as you need it." A curt reply from Winston.

"Much appreciated." Jessie looked back to Winston with a grateful nod.

"Thanks, Mr. Winston!" Danny called back, a thumbs-up appearing from behind his new bed.

"You're welcome, but please, it's, ahem, just Winston. No need for the 'mister'."

"Guess we're all forgoing titles today." Jessie added indifferently.

"Guess so." The friendly gorilla then pointed at the space of wall next to the front door where two touchpad consoles were installed. "This one works the lights, and this one is an intercom. The terminal also has one built in. Athena updated the contact information, so you can find everyone currently on base listed on screen. There's also an open channel feature in case you wanna talk to everyone. You can use it to talk to me or anyone else if you ever need help with something. The PA is out of order for now. Apparently, something got in behind the walls and messed with the electricals, but we'll sort it out." He sighed. "Well that should be it then. Any questions?"

Danny, having climbed back onto his bed, raised his hand.

"Who's Athena?" He asked.

Realization struck Winston as he remembered that he forgot to introduce his A.I. assistant.

"Oh, where are my manners? I completely forgot." The scientist then looked up towards the ceiling with a smile. "Athena, why not introduce yourself?"

The terminal screen came alive with the image of the stylized A that was Athena's logo, catching the two brothers by surprise.

"Of course." Athena began, her voice carrying a synthetic undertone and an African accent. "My name is Athena. I am the Watchpoint's integrated Artificial Intelligence. It is a pleasure to meet the two of you."

Jessie was surprised at this development, while Danny was ecstatic.

"Cool! An actual A.I.!" The young prodigy jumped off the bed and approached the screen. "What do you do?" He asked, overjoyed to learn all he can, and Athena was happy to answer him.

"I currently assist Winston with his scientific endeavors as well as correlate all mission related information and operational data. This includes up-to-date files of all Overwatch agents currently active. In the past, I was originally created to collate all data received through the communication hub before Overwatch's disbandment." She answered proudly.

Danny was in geek heaven.

"Holy smokes…So you control all computer systems here?" His awe could trigger a Geiger counter.

"No. My capabilities are limited outside of data collection and communication. The only other major system I have access to is the MV-261 Orca flight controls. Other than that, I am constrained to my terminals within Winston's laboratory, formally the main control center for the communication hub. However, although I am limited laterally, my ventral reach is far from sub-optimal."

By the time Athena had finished her explanation, you could practically hear Danny's prodigal mind milling through the information he was given; all 183 I.Q. points working away at the new wealth of knowledge.

Jessie deadpanned at his star-struck little brother.

"Looks like we ain't goin' nowhere anytime soon. Talon or not." He stated, making Winston chuckle.

"Guess not. Alright, Athena. It's probably best if you gave them some space for now. Heh, the poor little boy looks like he's about to burst with excitement." The scientist dismissed.

"That would be wise. That is a mess I would rather not clean up." With that, the terminal screen blinked off and Athena was gone, however Danny's wonderment did not fade.

"She even has a sense of humor. Her algorithm is amazing!" He muttered.

"That it is." Winston chimed in again. "Anyway, I'll leave you two to make yourselves at home. See you in the morning." With that, Winston made his exit, squeezing through the small door with as much skill, grace and ease as when he first entered.

"Thanks again, Winston!" Danny called to the retreating gorilla.

Jessie watched him leave until the door closed, which elicited a sigh from the older Michaels. He pocketed his hands and turned to watch his baby brother let out his inner fan boy, once more.

"Oh man, oh MAN! WE'RE ACTUALLY STAYING WITH OVERWATCH! THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE!" He turned to Jessie and spread out his arms. "Shoot me now, so I can die happy."

Jessie wanted to share in his brother's excitement. He really did. Sadly, he was only able to manage a small smirk, showing Danny that he was happy for him.

Seeing his big brother so out of it was enough to temper his energetic mood.

"You okay?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jessie replied tiredly, then sat down at the foot of his new bed.

"You don't look fine, bro."

"I'm just tired, buddy."

"After a week-long nap? I don't know."

Jessie wiped a hand down one side of his face, then back up and then over his scalp.

"A week in a coma can still take it out of you. Look, champ, it's just stress from everything we've been through since the museum, so don't worry about it. I'll bounce back from this."

Danny looked like he wanted to argue, but decided to trust Jessie on this.

"…Okay, bro." Danny nodded.

"Besides, you're the one I'm worried about." Jessie's voice took a somber tone. Danny's brows lifted in surprise at having been made the center of attention.

"Me?" His confusion showed.

"'All I did was follow you or fall over'. Now, I'm no mind reader, but that sounded to me like you were blaming yourself." Jessie pointed out.

Danny's shoulders sagged as he averted his gaze. He may have been ten-years-old, but he was smart enough to know that Jessie's words were true. He did blame himself for what happened to his older brother, and guilt was firmly set on the little boy's shoulder.

"'Cause it was my fault you were shot." Came his quiet reply.

Jessie sighed, knowing that Danny need his big brother now more than ever. Shifting over, he patted the newly opened space beside him, silently inviting his little brother to sit with him.

The melancholic child accepted the offer with no hesitation or fanfare, as he slowly made his way to the bed in a slow gait. Once he sat down, a protective arm found it's way around the young prodigy's shoulder, pulling him into a half embrace.

"Listen, Danny. What happened was _not_ your fault." Jessie began as he tried to assuage his little brother's burden.

Danny opened his mouth to rebut but was cut off.

"But it WAS! If I didn't slip, then you wouldn't've tripped over me and then shot. Danny, you tripped because I _pushed_ _you_ to move faster. It was my fault you fell over, little buddy."

Danny watched in wide-eyed bewilderment as Jessie completely hijacked the conversation and was speaking for the both of them, complete with matching facial expressions and gestures. What he found really interesting was how spot on the whole thing sounded.

"Well, I should've been more careful. I should've sped up. I should've been more aware! Danny, you're a ten-year-old, not an army ranger! You weren't trained to handle all that stuff we've been through. You held on like the champ you are, right 'till the bitter end. I don't know about you but I'm damn proud of you. You kept your cool where others – kids or adults – would've needed fresh underpants and a pacifier. You showed endurance that would've impressed my old drill sergeant, and trust me when I say that's high praise. But like I said, you're still young. You're not supposed to impress military men who scream in your face for a living, let alone run for your life and make it through to the other side. Maybe, but you should've made it through too, bro. But because of me, you nearly died – wait, scratch that. You DID die. For the longest minute of my life, you were _dead_. There was blood everywhere, and you. Were. Dead! Thank god almighty that Overwatch was there to save you, and thank god again that you came back, because I don't know if I could've made it through this without you. I wouldn't know what to do."

Jessie gave his dumbfounded little brother a loving squeeze.

"Well guess what? You don't have to know what to do, 'cause I'm still here, little buddy. All you need to do is work your computer wizardry and embarrass me at math, while I fight the bad guys with blazing guns and cheesy one-liners, and look good while doing it. So, for the love of all that is holy and sacred, stop whining, relax and smile, 'cause I'm still alive, I'm still in one piece, we're both safe, and best of all, we're with Overwatch. Turned out you were right. They're still kicking, AND they saved our lives. This has to be a dream come true for you, huh, champ? Oh, and there's a freakin' talking gorilla scientist in body armor. Mind equals blown."

Once Jessie finished, the two brothers sat there in silence; Jessie relaxing, while Danny processed what happened.

…

…

…

*Snort*

Jessie gave Danny a side-long glance. He watched as his brother's body began to convulse, the snort giving way to chuckles giving way to all out laughter, with the older Michaels joining in. The two laughed at Jessie's theatrical display, effectively eliminating his younger brother's dour mood all together.

Half way through their tittering, Danny threw both arms around his older brother's torso in hug, absolutely happy that he was alive, and he was here with him.

Jessie wasted no time returning the hug with gusto. He was happy to be alive, and that his brother was safe; that _they_ were safe.

And for the time being…

It's all they could ever ask for.

* * *

Back at the lab, Winston was met by Angela and Lena waiting for him around his computer, upstairs. From what he heard before they noticed him, he deduced that they were talking about their new charges and the events that predated their arrival at the watchpoint.

The scientist noted that Angela had forgone her lab coat while Lena left her goggles and gloves back in her room while the chronal accelerator was lying idly on one of the computer surfaces.

Lena was the first to speak.

"How'd they like the base?" She asked about Winston's tour.

"I think they're taking to it quite well, actually, if Danny's oohs and ahhs are anything to go by." He answered with an enthusiastic smile.

"It's to be expected from the little one. The beauty of childhood. However, dear Jessie does not carry such an advantage." The doctor said. Winston's smile fell faster than an anvil in high gravity. He sighed before speaking.

"Bless his soul and give him strength. The whole tour, he was keeping up appearances and being polite. Whether or not it's for his brother's sake or for ours, I have no clue, but that man is putting up with so much. Their being here just seems to add more weight to the already substantial load he seems to be carrying on his shoulder."

"Well, other than a safe place to lay their heads, there really is nothing more we can do for them." Tracer pointed out.

"Lena's right. As much as I would hate to say it, our resources leave much to be desired. Providing for two more only adds undue stress to what we have." Angela supported.

Winston sat on his tire as they spoke. Once they finished, he chimed in.

"Well, we can't kick them out, now, can we?" The gorilla said.

"We didn't say that. We just said that if they're staying here, it's better if they moved their weights around instead of sitting on their 'ands, wankin' their days away." The brunette clarified with a highly suggestive gesture.

"Crude. I'll see about putting them to work. With their talents, I'm sure they would prove useful."

It was here Angela had a brainwave.

"Why not make Jessie Michaels a field agent? With his military training, and how he handled Numbani, he could prove well adept." The doctor voiced here idea with ardor. An extra field agent meant that they can cover more ground, help more people, and progress their end goals of saving the world even faster.

"Never gonna happen." Lena shook her head as she shot down the good doctor's idea with much contrite.

"Why not?" Mercy asked with a frown.

"He made it painfully clear, back at the heritage museum, that he would much rather stay off the front lines. '…Leave the heroics to the real heroes' he said. The only reason he helped us back there is probably because of frontline pressure or something. Being' stuck in the thick of it might've forced his sense of duty to flare up, or something. That aside, can you really expect him to leave his brother's side to travel who-knows-where and fight baddies? We may 'ave saved their lives, but he still doesn't know us or trust us enough to leave his little brother alone with us. Strewth, he probably won't leave'em with anyone short of the lord, with how bloody close they are." Lena finished with a sigh of frustration. Angela looked sympathetic.

"Too true. They are all they have, here. Ach du lieber Himmel, warum muss das Leben so schwierig sein? **[Good Heavens, why must life be so difficult?]"** The doctor muttered in her native tongue.

Angela wasn't the only one frustrated. They all were. A world of eight billion is in danger and only six are trying to save it. With limited numbers, limited resources, an unlimited number of things that can go horribly wrong at any given moment, and civilians to look after, they have more than the lion's share of work to do.

"Talk about rock bottom." Winston muttered, eliciting a hum of agreement for the two females. The trio settled into a comfortable silence as they contemplated their conundrum.

"I need to give Hanzo a check-up." The doctor said as she dismissed herself.

"I need to get back to work." Came Winston's dismissal.

Tracer sighed.

"I need a pint."

* * *

It was now well into the night, and all within were to themselves, letting the beautifully clear night and cool breeze grant them respite from the complications and contraventions that would have to be attended to during daylight hours.

Within the quiet sanctuary of room 25 of the officers' quarters, however, Jessie Michaels had no such reprieve as his mind proved incapable of resting. The lights were off, and it was dark inside the room. Young Danny was fast asleep, the sound of light snoring, the only indication he even existed within the darkness. To Jessie, unfortunately, sleep proved elusive as the older Michaels was left wide awake, unable to calm the torrent of thoughts that had prevented him from achieving slumber.

He stood, fully clothed, leaning against the wall beside the door, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. He listened carefully to the sounds of his sleeping brother, letting the subtle noises focus his runaway thoughts. Ever the mother hen, the older of the two couldn't help but worry over what they should be doing next. Their old life is effectively gone, thanks mainly to the efforts of Talon who would definitely be waiting for them to surface again, just to make another attempt at their lives.

' _Dammit.'_

Jessie quietly stepped outside of the shared room as not to wake his little brother. Once outside, he wasted no time leaning against the wall before allowing himself to slip down into a seated position.

His mind continued to reel as he went over everything he knew. He considered many options; one after the other. Each one had its pros and cons, and each one sounded good and bad. The main factors here were his brother and this new Overwatch. No matter what happens or what choices he'd make he could never, and would never, leave Danny behind. He had made a promise to his parents that he would look after him, and he would stand by his word.

Then there's Overwatch. In the past, Overwatch was a well-funded organization that had reach and jurisdiction all over the world with an endless supply of man power. That, however, was no longer the case here. This new Overwatch was nothing but a ragtag motley crew of idealist and hopefuls trying to jumpstart one of those Russian Svyatogors with car batteries. They've got a lot of work to do, and Jessie would rather not get involved for the sake of him and Danny. Unfortunately, this brings them back to the main issue at hand for the two brothers. Without these people, they would be dead before the year was out.

' _Between a rock and a hard place…fuck.'_

Jessie sighed as he fished out his lighter from his back pocket. He sparked a light and was about to meet the flame with the end of his cigarette.

"Ah wouldn't do that if I was you." The deep baritone voice caught him by surprise. He turned his head only to find Jesse McCree standing nearby, wearing on olive flannel shirt, and his thumbs tucked into the pockets of a pair of well-worn jeans. On his head sat his Stetson, with the front tilted up. Jessie and Danny met the man during their tour earlier, but he didn't say much. He only offered them a 'Howdy' in passing. Right now, he eyed the older Michaels with a cool, knowing look, before nodding up to the ceiling.

Jessie looked to where the cowboy was gesturing, and promptly extinguished the flame of his lighter. The green eye of the overhead fire alarm glared at him for even thinking about lighting a cigarette indoors.

His attention reverted to the other man when he spoke up again, this time with a small smirk.

"C'mon." He began, gesturing dawn the hall with his chin. "Ah know a good spot where we can smoke in peace." He then reached down beside him and picked up something that Jessie did not notice was sitting there: A guitar case. As McCree made his way down the hall with a gait of confidence and ease, Jessie decided to take him up on his offer and got up to join him. He had nothing going for him at that time, so what did he have to lose?

* * *

"So, ah hear you and that brother o'yours got Talon's tussles in a tangle."

The two men had made their way outside into the crisp night air, then towards a small open patch of grass with an unguarded cliff edge overlooking the water. They had brought over a nearby crate to sit on. After that they both lit their choice of smokes and sat in what Jessie felt to be an oddly comfortable silence. It felt odd to him because he did not know the man sitting next to him at all. After a short while to let themselves relax, the former outlaw spoke up.

Jessie regarded him for a brief moment before answering.

"Not exactly a smart thing to do. Then again, I had no say in the matter."

McCree nodded his understanding, as his gaze remained over the expanse of water before them. He took a drag of his cigar before he spoke up again.

"Well, from what ah hear, you handled yourself pretty well, all things considerin'."

Jessie scoffed.

"If you call getting shot in the head 'pretty well', then I don't wanna know what you consider to be bad." He then took a drag of his own cigarette.

"What ah consider to be bad is the stuff that causes this crap." He emphasized by lifting his bionic arm for a moment before dropping it back down. He continued. "The fact that you made it through, and with a full recovery? Well, shit. Sound's like a good day to me. Be thankful for that, 'cause it might not happen a second time." He finished in a thoughtful tone.

Jessie considered his words for a moment.

"I got lucky, I guess."

"That you did, partner. So…what're you gonna do now? Can't just be plannin' t'sit there with your thumb up where the sun don't shine." He enquired. This just elicited a tired sigh from the younger man.

"I honestly don't know. We can't stay here, that for sure."

McCree raised an eyebrow at Jessie.

"Ain't nowhere safer than 'ere, son. It'd do the two of you good not to go skedaddlin' off to lord-knows-where where Talon can easily find you." He said in a level tone.

Jessie took another drag.

"Staying here isn't doing anyone a favor. You guys have your hands full just trying to set up a stable operation here. I mean, it's five or six of you, plus one A.I., in a base that needs a full company of specialists to be fully operational, trying to save a world that probably doesn't deserve it, from itself. If I'm being honest, it sounds to be like you guys bit off more than you can chew." The former soldier said with a small hint of exacerbation in his tone.

McCree watched him with a level gaze and a stoic expression as he went over what he had just heard. After a moment of silence, Jessie started to feel uncomfortable with the former agent's gaze. After another moment, the silence was broken.

"Sounds like you and the world got history." The gunslinger stated.

Jessie looked to him in mild irritation.

"Yeah…I do."

"Care t' share?"

"Nope."

"Fair enough. So, you don't think we can do it?"

"Not without a metric shit-ton of help."

"If that's the case, then why not toss your weight in?"

"HELL. FUCKING. NO." Jessie replied incredulously. "I'd honestly rather leave it to you guys, and keep out of it altogether. Besides, I gotta brother who's depending on me."

"Judgin' by the look in your brother's eyes, I'd say that he'd want you to help." McCree pointed out Danny's enthusiasm for Overwatch. Jessie sighed.

"He's ten. Of course he still believes in heroes."

McCree lifted another brow.

"And I'm guessing you don't?"

"…Not anymore." Jessie tone was heavy with defeat.

The two Americans fell back into silence, content to just sit there and let the nicotine do its job. Whatever stress either man had was carried away by the breeze in a plume of smoke, exhaled from their lungs.

After a while, McCree broke the silence as he reached down beside him, once more, to the guitar case he had brought with him.

"You play?"

This shook Jessie from whatever reverie he was in.

"Hm? Play what?" He asked, hearing the Cowboy fiddling with the latches before bringing up an acoustic guitar. It was a Gibson, single cutaway with a sunsetburst finish, and equipped with a pick guard. It showed its age. Signs of wear could be seen all over. The finish was slightly faded, and the guard had plenty of scars on it, signs that it had been faithfully providing its owner with sweet music, while the owner, in return, had looked after it. Even though it looked like it's been through a lot through out it's years, it was still clean, tuned, and carried a shine. McCree held it by the neck as he passed it over to Jessie.

"Six-string."

Jessie took the proffered guitar, giving it a once over and appreciating the instrument before placing it on his leg, ready to play.

"Yeah. Kind of an unwritten obligation when in the military." He said as he gave it a few test strums.

"Well then, why not play somethin'? Should help clear your head. It's like my grandpappy always said: 'Jus' sit back, and let the strings sing your troubles away'. It's why I got the ol' girl. Never in my life have ah heard bullshit from the ol' bastard's mouth. Wiser than Sittin' Bull, I'll tell ya." McCree finished as fond memories of his grandfather put a smile on the gunslinger's face.

Jessie considered his words, again.

"You sure it'll help?" He asked.

"Give it a try if you don't believe me." McCree answered.

With sleep still nowhere in sight, Jessie figured he might as well have a go. When he thought about what song to play, an old tune seemed to come naturally to the forefront of his mind. It was a piece he learned from a fellow soldier who learned it from his grandfather who was a veteran.

Jessie inhaled as he placed his hands on the strings, feeling them taut and ready to play.

Seeing this, McCree got comfortable, letting his gaze wander up to the beautiful night sky.

Jessie exhaled.

The first note filled the sky.

…

' _ **Good Lord, my faith is fading,**_

 _ **It seems all Hell has come a-knocking at my door,**_

 _ **I'm gonna sleep with one eye open,**_

' _ **Cause it seems clear, you don't come around here no more.**_

 _ **Lord, I've played the hand you dealt me,**_

 _ **Lord, I played 'til my gambling days were done,**_

 _ **My enemies are gonna feel my heartache,**_

 _ **Blazing down the barrel of my gun.**_

 _ **Nails in the Churches,**_

 _ **Nails in the dust,**_

 _ **Nails in the coffins,**_

 _ **In peace we may rust,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **Burning down the barrel of my gun.**_

 _ **Now my heart is scarred and twisted,**_

 _ **Like the roses on the graves,**_

 _ **Buried, like each sorry fool,**_

 _ **Standing in my way,**_

 _ **I'm held in chains of darkness,**_

 _ **There's only ashes in my bowl,**_

 _ **I'll save a bullet for the devil,**_

 _ **When he comes to take my soul**_

 _ **Nails in the Churches,**_

 _ **Nails in the dust,**_

 _ **Nails in the coffins,**_

 _ **In peace we may rust,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **Burning down the barrel of my gun**_

 _ **(Guitar solo)**_

 _ **Nails in the dust,**_

 _ **Nails in the coffins,**_

 _ **In peace we may rust,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **One by one,**_

 _ **Burning down the barrel of my gun**_

 _ **Burning down the barrel of my gun.'**_


End file.
